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NI Ultiboard User Manual

1. 6 Select the desired nets in the Available Nets list you can use the lt Ctrl gt and lt Shift gt keys to select multiple items in the list The Add button becomes active 7 Click Add The selected nets move to the Assigned Nets column Or If desired click Add All to move all of the Available Nets to the Assigned Nets list National Instruments Corporation 3 19 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design B Note You cannot assign a net to more than one bus group Therefore parts that are already assigned to another bus group do not appear in the Available Nets list However you can assign a net to a bus group and a net group 8 Click OK to close the Edit Groups dialog box If you do not wish to close the dialog box click Apply to accept the changes Complete the following steps to add pre selected nets to a bus group 1 2 3 4 5 Select the desired nets on the workspace Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box Click the Bus Groups tab Select the desired bus group in the Groups box Click Add Pre selected The nets that you pre selected on the workspace are added to the Assigned Nets column Click OK to close the Edit Groups dialog box If you do not wish to close the dialog box click Apply to accept the changes Complete the following steps to edit a bus group 1 2 3 4 5 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box
2. National Instruments Corporation Takes a screen capture of a selected area Refer to the Capturing Screen Area section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information Displays the design in 3D mode Refer to the Viewing Designs in 3D section of Chapter 9 Viewing Designs in 3D for more information Shows or hides the height of selected objects in 3D mode This is only available when viewing the design in the 3D mode Refer to the Showing an Object s Height section of Chapter 9 Viewing Designs in 3D for more information A 15 NI Ultiboard User Manual Menus and Commands Appendix A Menus and Commands Options Menu The following table describes the commands found in the Options menu Command Description Global Preferences Displays the Preferences dialog box Refer to the Setting Preferences section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information PCB Properties Defines the general parameters of your PCB design Refer to the Setting PCB Properties section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Lock Toolbars Locks all docked toolbars in their current position Floating toolbars will be locked in place if you move them to a docked position This can also be done from the Toolbars tab of the Customize dialog box Refer to the Toolbars Tab and Locking Toolbars sections of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Customize User Interface
3. Customizes your menus toolbars and context menus Refer to the Customizing the Interface section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Autoroute Menu The following table describes the commands found in the Autoroute menu Command Description Start Resume Autorouter Starts or resumes the autorouter Refer to the Running the Autorouter section of Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement for more information Stop Pause Autorouter Stops or pauses the autorouter Start Autoplacement Autoplaces parts on your PCB Refer to the Running the Autoplacer section of Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement for more information Autoplace Selected Parts Places parts that you have selected on the workspace NI Ultiboard User Manual A 16 ni com Appendix A Menus and Commands Command Description Autoroute Selected Parts Routes all nets for the selected parts Refer to the Pre Placing Parts section of Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement or more information Autoroute Selected Nets Routes nets that you have selected on the workspace This is only active when an unconnected pad corresponding to that net is selected Autoroute Selected Buses Autoroutes selected buses Refer to the Autorouting buses section of Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement for more information Start Optimization Optimizes the placement of traces
4. National Instruments Corporation A 9 NI Ultiboard User Manual Appendix A Menus and Commands Command Description Dimension Horizontal Places a horizontal dimension Refer to the Placing Dimensions of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Dimension Vertical Places a vertical dimension Refer to the Placing Dimensions of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Graphic Line Places a line or a trace depending on the active layer Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts and the Placing a Trace Manual Method section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Graphic Arc Places an arc or a trace depending on the active layer Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts and the Placing a Trace Manual Method section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Graphic Bezier Places a bezier or a trace depending on the active layer Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts and the Placing a Trace Manual Method section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Graphic Picture Places a bitmap picture on the design Displays a standard Open dialog Select the desired bitmap and click to place it on the design Drag the bitmap to the desired size and click th
5. e Smaller than checkbox Enable the checkbox and enter the desired setting Any copper islands with length and width smaller than this value are automatically deleted e Not connected to outer edge checkbox Any unconnected copper within the coppe area will be removed e Reset all manual removed islands checkbox Select to replace all islands that you removed manually that is by selecting and deleting 3 Select Enable voiding if you wish the area around traces and pins not to be connected to the copper area 4 If you wish to connect the copper area to a net enable Connected to Net and select the desired net from the list Working with Vias Placing Vias This section contains the following topics e Placing Vias e Viewing and Editing Via Properties A via is a plated through hole in a printed circuit board used to connect two or more layers as well as the top and bottom surfaces of the board Once placed a via can be moved like a part Refer to the Tools to Assist Part Placement of Chapter 4 Working with Parts section for more information Complete the following steps to place a via 1 Choose Place Via and click on the board where you want to place the via The Select the lamination that is to be used for this via dialog box appears 2 Select the layers that the via is to run between From Layer and To Layer Click OK The dialog box disappears 4 Right click to cancel the Place Via command or c
6. parts 1 Select Design Group Replica Place to display the Select Groups for Replica Place dialog box 2 Select the group whose positioning is to be copied in the Primary Group drop down list 3 Select the group whose positioning you wish to change to match the Primary Group in the Group to be Replicated drop down list ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts The relative placement of the parts in the Group to be Replicated will match the relative placement of the parts in the Primary Group So as shown below U4 will be placed in the same relative location that U1 holds in Group 1 U5 will be placed in same relative location that U2 holds in in Group 1 and so on Select Groups for Replica Place Primary Group Group to be Replicated Group1 x Group2 001 U1 001 U4 002 U2 002 US 003 U3 003 U6 Tip You can change the order of parts in either drop down list by dragging and dropping You can also do this by using the up and down arrows in the Part Groups tab of the Edit Groups dialog box Refer to the Working with Part Groups section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information 4 Click OK The dialog closes and the Group to be Replicated in this example group 2 is placed on your cursor in the shape of the Primary Group Shape of Group Primary to be Replicated palai 1 ee a 8 group 2 Pes o changes to BE as match Primary pi Group s shape a
7. 4 20 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts To edit an attribute s visibility alignment and so on use the Attribute tab Refer to the Attributes section for more information Viewing and Editing Shape Graphics Properties As with parts and traces the properties of shapes can be viewed and edited Complete the following steps to edit the properties of a shape that you have placed on the design 1 Select the shape 2 Choose Edit Properties Or Right click and select Properties from the context menu that appears The name of the dialog box that appears varies depending on the selected shape To edit a shape s attributes use the Attributes tab Refer to the Attributes section for more information about editing properties in the Attributes tab Depending on the shape graphic selected the General tab lets you change the width and the clearance of the selected element and define the units of measurement or change the line style color and width To change the layer on which a shape exists use the following from the Position tab e Layer drop down list Use to select the desired layer e Locked checkbox Locks the shape to the layer The fourth tab is used to change the selected shape s size The name and contents of this tab change depending on the shape selected National Instruments Corporation 4 21 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Placing Other Elements This section exp
8. 4 34 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Use the Thermal Relief tab to choose what type of thermal relief the SMT pad will use when connecting to a copper area or power plane 1 Select the desired thermal relief in the Type box 2 Select the desired width of the spokes in the thermal relief from the Spoke Width drop down list Use the Pin Neck tab to enter dimensions for the pin necks Searching For and Replacing Parts Ultiboard allows you to search for parts in two ways e Searching for parts in open designs This method tells you if a specific part exists in all of the designs that are currently open e Locating a part in a design This method finds a specific part in the design where you are currently working and zooms in on the part You can also replace a part with one from the database Searching for Parts in Open Designs To find out if a part exists in the open designs you can search for it with the Edit Find command While this command works much like a Find function in other applications it also allows you to search for a part by name number shape value or by all variables Complete the following steps to find out if a part exists in the open designs 1 Choose Edit Find The Find dialog box opens fh 2 Enter your search criteria from the selection below e Find what Enter all or part of the a RefDes or variables that define parts name number shape or value e Find special Select one of
9. Click to create a new user configuration file and select an item from the drop down list 5 Change the settings in the Database Files area as desired e Master Database The location of the Master Database e Corporate Database The location of the Corporate Database e User Database The location of the User Database 1 16 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Colors Tab Ultiboard allows you to set up color schemes for the workspace background and other displayed elements Complete the following steps to set up color schemes 1 Choose Options Global Preferences The Preferences dialog box appears al 2 Select the Colors tab and complete the following as required e To apply an existing color scheme either the default or one you have created choose from the Color scheme drop down list e To modify an existing color scheme choose it from the Color scheme drop down list From the Color element drop down list choose the element whose color you want to modify Click the color button unlabelled and choose a new color for that element Your change is stored with the color scheme when you click Apply or OK e Tocreate a color scheme click New scheme and provide a scheme name The element colors remain at the value they had in the most recently loaded scheme Modify the element colors as described above and save your changes by clicking Apply or OK e Toaddacolor element click New element and enter a name Th
10. If enabled allows like gates to be swapped during the routing process You can choose Internal Gates Only which will swap gates within the same IC No Swapping or Advanced Swapping which will swap gates between ICs both devices must be set to Advanced Swapping Locked Yes indicates that the part cannot be moved No indicates that the part can be moved Nets Tab Use the Nets tab to work with the net lists in your design Refer to the Using the Nets Tab section for more information Column Description unlabelled The colored circle indicates whether the copper for the net has been routed that is placed on the board outline bright green or is awaiting placement dark green Orange indicates the copper for the net has been locked You cannot lock the net until it has been routed Net Name The net s unique identifier Locked Yes indicates that the net cannot be moved No indicates that the net can be moved You cannot lock a net until it has been routed Trace Width The default width of the trace that is placed during routing You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design section for more information Max Width The maximum width to which a trace will be laid during routing You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group E
11. NI Ultiboard User Manual Setting Net Widths Complete the following steps to set net widths 1 4 Select Tools Netlist Editor and select the desired net from the Net drop down list in the Net edit dialog box Click on the Width tab Enter the Minimum trace width Default trace width Maximum trace width and Trace clearance or choose Use Group Settings from the drop down lists Click OK to save changes Setting High Speed Parameters Complete the following steps to set high speed parameters for a net 1 Select Tools Netlist Editor and select the desired net from the Net drop down list in the Net edit dialog box Click the High Speed tab Enter the following as required e Parallelism check Enable checkbox and enter Maximum length that traces can run in parallel Enter size of Gap allowable distance between parallel traces on Same layer and Adjacent layer In the Against net field select the net against which the parallelism check is done e Route length check Enable checkbox and enter Minimum and Maximum lengths for the length of copper between connected pins for Daisy chain and Star topologies this checkbox is only active for these topologies Click OK to close dialog box and accept changes 5 26 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Setting Miscellaneous Net Parameters Complete the following steps to set miscellaneous parameters for a net 1 Select Tools Netlist Editor and
12. Selects a whole trace when one or more segments of the same trace are selected Quick Layer Toggle Toggles between the last copper layer or to the opposite copper layer if the last layer was not copper Lock Locks the selected elements in place so they cannot be moved Unlock Unlocks the selected elements Place Displays a number of elements that you can place on the design Shape Displays a number of shapes that you can place on the design Orientation These commands adjust the orientation of parts as they are placed on a design Align These commands align the edges of the elements Vertex These commands add or remove vertices from all polygons whether copper or non copper In Place Part Edit Switches to In Place Edit mode for the selected item Refer to the Editing a Placed Part In Place Edit section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Properties Displays the properties dialog box for the type of element selected Refer to the Viewing and Editing Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information National Instruments Corporation A 19 NI Ultiboard User Manual Appendix A Menus and Commands Right drag Menu When you select an area by dragging and releasing the right mouse button a context menu appears with the following selections Command Description Select all in rectangle Selects all objects in the rectangle th
13. Ces A US JL ii National Instruments Corporation 5 33 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper 3 Select Design Copy Route The Copy route dialog box appears 4 Select the group you have already routed in the Source group field and the group you wish to have the same routing in the Destination group field and click OK The routing is duplicated for the destination group Swapping Pins and Gates Swapping Pins NI Ultiboard User Manual Pin and gate swapping are done between like pins and gates to reduce the amount of copper needed to route a given net The following sections document manual pin swapping manual gate swapping and automatic pin gate swapping For these functions to work the pin groups must be set up in the Footprint tab of the Component Properties dialog box in Multisim before the circuit is exported to Ultiboard Refer to the Multisim User Manual for details This feature works between allowed pins in the same gate section of an IC Swapping of pins between gates in the same IC or between similar ICs is not allowed Complete the following steps to swap pins between gates 1 Select Design Swap Pins 2 Click on the first pin that you wish to swap 5 34 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper 3 Click on the second pin to complete the action Note Error messages will display if the selected pins cannot be swapped or if
14. Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Change Group Settings dialog box Access this dialog box from the Edit Groups dialog box Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section for more information Use this dialog box to change the group settings for net groups part groups and differential pairs The options found in this dialog box depend on the type of group Refer to the following sections for more information e Net Group Settings e Part Group Settings e Differential Pair Settings Net Group Settings For net groups the following Group Settings are available e Group Name e Clearance Settings e Trace Width Settings e Trace Length Settings e Routing Layers e Routing Priority As well as setting the clearance for a net group you can set clearances for individual nets within that group You can for example set the clearance for the net group to 10 mils and the clearance for two or more nets within that group to 5 mils In this case if any net from the group comes within 10 mils of any element that is not in the net group a DRC error is generated If one of the traces that you set to a 5 mils clearance moves to 5 mils or less from one of the other traces with the 5 mils clearance setting a DRC error occurs 3 Note Set individual trace clearances in the Nets tab of the Spreadsheet View To do this select the desired trace and locate the Trace Clearance column Highlight Use Group Settings and type in the desired clearan
15. Complete the following steps to return from the full screen display to the multi screen display 1 Locate the Full Screen Close button It will be floating over the f design 2 Click the Full Screen Close button to return to the multi pane display National Instruments Corporation 2 15 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 2 Beginning a Design Magnifying and Shrinking the View You can use the zoom functions to magnify or shrink all or part of the design To magnify part of the design choose View Zoom In or press lt F8 gt You may need to adjust your view of the magnified design by using the scroll bars Complete the following to magnify a selected area on the design 1 Choose View Zoom Window or press lt F6 gt then click and drag a rectangular area on the board to define the area to be zoomed in on Or Define an area by clicking and dragging in the Birds Eye View To shrink the view of the design choose View Zoom Out or press lt F9 gt To return to the full view of the design after zooming in or out press lt F7 gt Refreshing the Design Tool tip Label NI Ultiboard User Manual After adding and changing elements the design can begin to look a little confusing with bits and pieces of elements looking like they have been left behind on the design after being moved for example This can be for many reasons including the limitations of the computer monitor being used although it does not affect th
16. Designs in 3D for more information Help button Displays the helpfile contents page National Instruments Corporation 1 5 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Select Toolbar NI Ultiboard User Manual The Select toolbar contains the functions used to control selection filters and appears by default when you run Ultiboard Please note that all filters are not available in all versions of Ultiboard The Select toolbar buttons are explained in the table below Button Description Enable Selecting Parts button Use to allow or prevent selection of parts Enable Selecting Traces button Use to allow or prevent selection of traces Enable Selecting Copper Areas button Use to allow or prevent selection of copper areas Enable Selecting Vias button Use to allow or prevent selection of vias Enable Selecting Pads button Use to allow or prevent selection of pads Enable Selecting SMD Pads button Use to allow or prevent selection of Surface Mount Device pads Enable Selecting Attributes button Use to allow or prevent selection of attributes Bo RE W ot ot A R Enable Selecting Other Objects button Use to allow or prevent selection of other object on the PCB 1 6 ni com Draw Settings Toolbar Chapter 1 User Interface The Draw Settings toolbar lets you select the layer thickness and unit of measure of a line or object that is being dr
17. If you wish to define the Characteristic Impedance Zo yourself click User Defined Zo and edit the following fields as desired Input Length Unit Select mils or millimeters Dielectric Thickness H Refer to the figure below Trace Spacing S Refer to the figure below Characteristic Impedance Zo Refer to the figure below 6 12 ni com Chapter 6 PCB Calculators wi is W H T E HI Where 0 1 lt W H lt 2 H1 gt H T H lt 0 25 1 lt amp lt 15 4 Click Calculate Results of the calculation appear in the Calculation Results area They also appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View i Note If you chose User Defined Zo in the previous step the Per Length Unit and the Differential Impedance are the only values that appear in the Calculation Results area of the PCB Differential Impedance Calculator dialog and the Results tab when you click Calculate 5 Click Close to close the PCB Differential Impedance Calculator Asymmetric Stripline Differential Impedance Equations The equations used to perform the asymmetric stripline differential impedance calculations are ZO 1 H 4 H1 80 In 4 2 H T 0 67 3 1415926 0 8 W T sqrt Er Tpd 84 66667 sqrt Er CO Tpd ZO LO CO Z0 ZO Zdiff 2 Z0 1 0 347 exp 2 9 S H H1 T National Instruments Corporation 6 13 NI Ultiboard User Manual Autorouting and Autoplacement There are a number of autorouting and autoplacemen
18. Placing a Net Bridge This example connects two traces one is on net DGND and the other is on net GND Complete the following steps to place a net bridge 1 Select Place Net Bridge The Place Net Bridge dialog box appears 2 Click Select Net Bridge From Database The Get a part from the database dialog box appears 3 Select the desired net bridge in the Available Parts area and click OK You are returned to the Place Net Bridge dialog box 4 Map the pins of the net bridge to the desired nets in the Pin 1 and Pin 2 area In the example below digital ground DGND and analog ground GND are mapped together Place Net Bridge X Preview Select Net Bridge From Database Pin 1 Net banD e Pin 2 Net GND v 5 Click OK and place the netbridge across the two nets as in the example below 5 32 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Copying a Copper Route You can copy the routing of traces between two identical parts groups that have been set up using the Group Replica command Complete the following steps to copy copper routing between groups 1 Create two identical part groups Refer to the Replicating Group Part Placement section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information 2 Route the traces for one of the groups In the example below Part Group A consists of U7 and U8 Part Group B consists of U9 and U10 Wi ree 1
19. Position Y The part s position on the Y axis Side The side of the PCB on which the part appears Rotation The orientation of the part on the PCB Spreadsheet View Statistics Tab This tab displays the following statistics e Total number of pins e Pins in a net e Not connected pins e Test pins e Jumpers e Total number of vias e Total number of connections e Unrouted connections e Completion e Total number of parts e Total number of nets Customizing the Interface NI Ultiboard User Manual The Ultiboard user interface is highly customizable Toolbars can be docked in various positions and orientations The contents of the toolbars may be customized New toolbars can be created The menu system is fully customizable including all pop up menus for the various object types The keyboard shortcut system is also customizable This allows for any keys or key combinations to be assigned to any command that may be placed in a menu or on a toolbar 1 48 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Complete the following to customize the interface 1 Select Options Customize User Interface 2 Make changes in the Customize dialog s tabs as detailed in the following sections e Commands Tab e Toolbars Tab e Keyboard Tab e Menu Tab e Options Tab Commands Tab The Commands tab in the Customize dialog box is used to add commands to menus and toolbar Complete the following steps to add a co
20. Refer to the Optimization section of Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement for more information Autoroute place Options Sets up router and placer functions Refer to the Controlling the Routing Functions and Controlling the Autoplacer sections of Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement for more information Window Menu The following table describes the commands found in the Window menu Command Description New Window Displays a new window containing a full view of the design currently open Close Closes selected window Close All Closes all open windows Cascade Cascades the open windows so they are arranged one on top of the next while remaining separately selectable Tile Horizontal Tile Vertical Adjusts two or more windows so that they sit one on top of the other Adjusts two or more windows so that they sit beside each other Windows Displays the Windows dialog box where you can show or close the files that you currently have open lt open designs gt Shows all open design windows National Instruments Corporation A 17 NI Ultiboard User Manual Appendix A Menus and Commands Help Menu The following table describes the commands found in the Help menu Command Description Ultiboard Help Displays the contents of the online help Release Notes Displays the NI Circuit Design Suite release notes Patents D
21. Setting Up a Design for more information 5 Enter desired group parameters and click OK National Instruments Corporation 5 27 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Setting Via Parameters Complete the following steps to edit via information for a net 1 Select Tools Netlist Editor and select the desired net from the Net drop down list in the Net edit dialog box 2 Click on the Via tab 3 Set desired Via Drill Diameter and Via Pad Diameter and click OK Highlighting a Net Complete the following steps to highlight a net 1 Click on a segment of the net that you wish to highlight 2 Select Design Highlight Selected Net The entire net is highlighted on the workspace and also in the Preview area of the Nets tab of the Spreadsheet View Tip You can change the highlight color from the Color Element drop down list in the j Colors tab of the Preferences dialog box Shielding Nets Complete the following steps to shield a net 1 Select Design Shield Nets The Net Shielding dialog box appears 2 Select one of the following in the Width box e Use Net Settings radio button Select to use net settings Refer to the Spreadsheet View Nets Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface and the Using the Netlist Editor section for more information e unlabelled radio button Select and enter a width for the shielding that differs from the net settings 3 Enter the desired size for the gap
22. The newly created group appears in the Groups list National Instruments Corporation 3 21 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design 7 Highlight the new group in the Groups box to display a list of nets you can add to the group in the Available Nets list as shown in the example below Edit Groups Net Groups Part Groups Bus Groups Differential Pairs Groups Pair1 Delete Nets Available Nets Assigned Nets OoOnvonhoOnNnre Oo Add Pre selected aso 1 8 Select the desired two nets in the Available Nets list The Add button becomes active 3 Note You cannot assign a net to more than one differential pair Therefore nets that are already assigned to another differential pair do not appear in the Available Nets list 9 Click Add The selected nets move to the Assigned Nets column 10 Click OK to close the Edit Groups dialog box If you do not wish to close the dialog box click Apply to accept the changes NI Ultiboard User Manual 3 22 ni com Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Complete the following steps to add pre selected nets to a differential pair 1 a Select the desired nets on the workspace Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box Click the Differential Pairs tab Select the desired group in the Groups box Click Add Pre selected The nets that you pre selected on the workspace are added to the
23. To close all open projects and designs choose File Close All If you have any unsaved changes in the projects or designs you are prompted to save the projects and or designs National Instruments Corporation 2 11 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 2 Beginning a Design Saving Technology Specifications from a Design You can save the technology specifications from the current design into a technology file This technology file can be used to import technology settings into another design Complete the following steps to save a design s technology specifications 1 Have the desired design open in Ultiboard 2 Select File Save Technology The Technology File Settings dialog box appears 3 Select the technology parameters you want to save and click OK A standard Windows Save dialog appears Select the desired location for the technology file enter its name in the File name field and click Save Loading Technology Files You can load technology specifications from a technology file that you saved earlier Refer to the Saving Technology Specifications from a Design section for more information Complete the following steps to load technology into the active file 1 Select File Load Technology A standard Windows Open dialog appears 2 Navigate to the desired folder highlight the desired technology file and click Open The Technology Import dialog displays 3 Select the desired items to load into your open des
24. Using the example of a corner formed from a 6 mm segment and an 8 mm segment a Maximum Length setting of 3 mm will cause the trace to be mitered to 2 mm that is one third of 6 mm 8 8 ni com Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly The default is 0 that is all traces will be mitered regardless of the maximum length of any one segment 6 To set the angle of corners to be affected by mitering enable the Angle Maximum option and enter a value For example a setting of 95 will mean that all angles less than 95 will be mitered to 135 7 To have an arc placed when doing the mitering enable the Place Arcs option 8 To save your changes and miter the corners click OK To cancel them click Cancel Manually Re Running the Design Rules and Netlist Check The design rules and netlist check normally runs automatically but you may want to force a final check of the board s integrity prior to saving or exporting the design To do this select Design Netlist and DRC Check The results of the check appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View Cleaning up the Board Before sending the board for manufacturing you should remove any open trace ends and unused vias that have been left on the board Deleting Open Trace Ends Open trace ends are trace segments that do not have any terminating connections in the design Edit Copper Delete Open Trace Ends This deletes all open trace ends To delete ope
25. choosing how many 3 1 lamination settings 3 1 multi layered boards 3 1 number on the board 1 26 PCB layers 3 3 removing from board 1 26 swapping parts on 4 11 tab using 3 3 Layers tab using 3 3 leave drill holes open 8 16 lines placing 4 22 locking toolbars 1 14 manual trace placing 5 2 measurement guides 4 10 mechanical CAD colors 10 3 dimensions 10 5 paths 10 5 properties 10 3 workspace elements 10 4 NI Ultiboard User Manual l 4 mechanical CAD design creating 10 2 importing DXF file 10 3 mechanical CAD files creating 10 1 mitering corners 8 8 modes 2 13 mounting holes placing 4 22 multi layered boards 3 1 National Instruments support and services C 1 NC drill properties 8 12 net adding 5 21 deleting 5 25 deleting pad from 5 26 renaming 5 25 Net Edit dialog Groups tab 5 27 Via tab 5 28 Net edit dialog High Speed tab 5 26 Misc tab 5 27 Net Shielding dialog 5 28 netlist check running 8 9 Netlist Editor about 5 20 opening 5 20 netlist importing 2 2 Nets tab using 5 19 New Group Array Properties dialog 4 12 NI support and services C 1 0 open trace ends deleting 8 9 optimization 7 6 ni com P pads deleting from net 5 26 Part Wizard using 4 38 parts adding to database from design 4 47 adding to database using command 4 47 adding to database using Database Manager 4 47 aligning 1 8 4 11 angle of 4 11 centroids properties 8
26. e s a 5 Drag your mouse to the desired location and click to place the group National Instruments Corporation 4 15 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Unplacing Parts Complete the following steps to unplace all non locked parts 1 Select Place Unplace Parts A dialog displays asking if you wish to remove any left over copper after the unplace command 2 Select either Yes or No All unlocked parts are removed from the PCB and positioned outside of the board outline If you chose Yes in the above dialog the copper that was connected to the unplaced parts is also removed If you chose No the copper remains in place Viewing and Editing Properties Once a shape or a part has been created its properties can be viewed and edited This section explains how to display the property dialog boxes of parts attributes and shapes and what each tells you about the element Attributes All properties dialog boxes for all elements have an Attributes tab Parts are in general the only elements that already have attributes typically including a name a value and a shape For other elements you can add attributes All attributes can be changed or added In the Attributes tab you can change an attribute s e tag the name for the attribute e value the value of the attribute e visibility invisible value shows value and tag show B Note You can sort attribute information by clic
27. electronic or mechanical including photocopying recording storing in an information retrieval system or translating in whole or in part without the prior written consent of National Instruments Corporation National Instruments respects the intellectual property of others and we ask our users to do the same NI software is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws Where NI software may be used to reproduce software or other materials belonging to others you may use NI software only to reproduce materials that you may reproduce in accordance with the terms of any applicable license or other legal restriction Anti Grain Geometry Version 2 4 Copyright C 2002 2004 Maxim Shemanarev McSeem Permission to copy use modify sell and distribute this software is granted provided this copyright notice appears in all copies This software is provided as is without express or implied warranty and with no claim as to its suitability for any purpose Anti Grain Geometry Version 2 4 Copyright C 2002 2005 Maxim Shemanarev McSeem 1 Redistribution and use in source and binary forms with or without modification are permitted provided that the following conditions are met 2 Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice this list of conditions and the following disclaimer 3 Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice this list of conditions and the following discl
28. has been moved to the outside right of the board outline Viewing and Editing Dimension Properties Dimension properties consist of five tabs Attributes General Position Line and Dimensions To edit a dimensions s properties select the dimension and select Edit Properties To edit a dimension s attributes use the Attributes tab Refer to the Attributes section for more information To edit a dimension s display style use the following from the Line area of the General tab e Style button Sets the line style for the dimension s text line e Color button Sets the dimension s color e Width fields Set the width of the dimension s lines and the units of measurement To change the layer on which a dimension exists use the following from the Position tab e Layer drop down list Use to select the desired layer e Locked checkbox Locks the dimension to the layer National Instruments Corporation 4 27 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts To control the coordinates for the dimension s starting and ending points use the following from the Line tab X1 The X coordinate of the dimension s starting point X2 The X coordinate of the dimension s ending point Y1 The Y coordinate of the dimension s starting point Y2 The Y coordinate of the dimension s ending point Units Units of measurement To control the various aspects of the dimension adjust
29. selected box as desired o o o olojo cicioicia loje how lo cio cog ojojo ooo oo Jojolo oo o oo JEIEN o oluo uo ojojoloo oo o o o tasn ojojojelo Placed Group Array box Begin selecting and dragging parts As they are placed the parts snap to the array Placed component _ _ Next component will be placed here hy zil 5 oer o 4 Caml o a D 0 G a 3 o Use Group Centers checkbox enabled National Instruments Corporation Place the part in the top left cell The other parts will be placed at the same relative position in the other cells beginning in the top left row and working to the right Continue placing parts 4 13 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 3 Working with Parts Replicating Group Part Placement The Group Replica Place function allows you to automatically apply the relative placement of parts in one group to another group This is especially useful when duplicating the layout of channels in multi channel PCBs This example uses the following design a6 Tact tet ae phan tr ry BEE i Ue hat os Group 1 consists of U1 U2 amp U3 Group 2 consists of U4 U5 amp U6 Note Refer to the Working with Part Groups section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for information about part group creation NI Ultiboard User Manual Complete the following steps to replicate the positioning of a group of
30. 1 Copper Inner 2 E Copper Inner 3 B Copper Inner 4 B Copper Inner 5 W Copper Inner 6 E Copper Inner 7 Copper Inner 8 Wi Copper Bottom M Keepin out Layer T Board Outline NM Silkscreen Top I Silkscreen Bottom E 3D Info Top OE 3D0 Info Bottom B Solder Mask Top E Solder Mask Bottom Assembly Paste Mask Top Q Paste Mask Bottom OB Glue Mask Top Wi Glue Mask Bottom nformation M Ratsnest WB Design Rule Check M Force Vectors Comment Mechanical layers Mechanical Layer 1 Mechanical Layer 2 RIMSII SSK KISS KK Layers with a check mark are displayed on the workspace Layers with a check mark in a grey box are displayed in the workspace but are dimmed Layers with no check mark are not displayed in the workspace but are available to be used The highlighted layer is the active layer that is the one you are working with Click the colored icons beside the checkboxes to control the layers colors 3 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design The Layers tab is divided into four sections e PCB These are the working layers of your design Refer to the Setting PCB Properties section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information about setting up the properties of the PCB layers e Assembly These are the layers associated with production of your board These are useful whenever you are using paste to hold joints or glue adhesive to hold componen
31. 14 creating using Database Manager 4 37 creating using the Part Wizard 4 38 dragging 4 7 editing once placed 4 30 finding 4 4 flipping 4 11 locating in open design 4 36 locking 4 4 orienting 4 11 placing from the database 4 28 placing multiple 4 3 placing single 4 3 placing using Design Toolbox 4 2 position 4 18 pre placing 7 1 previewing 4 4 properties 4 18 relocating 4 7 renumbering 8 5 replacing 4 36 rotating 4 11 searching for in open designs 4 35 spacing 4 12 swapping layer 4 11 unlocking 4 4 Parts tab using 4 4 PCB layers 3 3 toolbar 1 4 National Instruments Corporation l 5 Index PCB design default actions 1 17 viewing options 1 17 PCB Differential Impedance Calculator 6 7 PCB Properties Board Default tab 1 27 PCB Transmission Line Calculator 6 1 pin type test point 4 26 Place toolbar 1 10 placement strategies 7 4 placing a comment 8 3 placing powerplanes 5 11 Placing SMD Fanouts 5 18 placing traces 5 1 placing vias 5 15 polygon editing 4 32 placing 4 22 placing copper 5 10 splitting 5 11 position of parts 4 18 powerplanes placing 5 11 preferences Preferences dialog 1 15 pre placed traces 7 7 pre placing parts 7 1 print leave drill holes open 8 16 negative 8 16 reflection 8 16 print reflection 8 16 programming examples NI resources C 1 project files creating 2 1 projects renaming 2 1 properties shape 4 21 NI Ultiboard User
32. 3 mm etc or Board Settings Ultiboard will choose either English or Metric depending on the units Ultiboard is using This setting is independent of the Routing Mode setting in the Routing area e Optimization Pass checkbox Enable to permit router passes that will optimize the placement of the traces NI Ultiboard User Manual 7 10 ni com Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement 3 Complete the following fields in the Settings area Via Grid Select 100 mil standard which places the vias on a 100 mil grid 50 mil standard which places the vias on a 50 mil grid 25 mil standard which places the vias on a 25 mil grid or None which will not place the vias on any grid The optimal grid size is determined on the fly by Ultiboard during the routing process if it differs from the Via Grid setting vias will be placed at the grid point closest to the 100 50 or 25 mil setting Pin Contact Mode Select Allow Pin Corners to allow traces to connect to pins diagonally Place Vias Under SMD Pads Select Yes or No as desired Auto Adjust Trace Width checkbox Enable to allow the router to narrow the trace to its minimum width as set in the Nets tab of the Spreadsheet View or the Width tab of the Net edit dialog box Fanout BGA Parts checkbox Attaches vias to each pin of all BGA Ball Grid Array parts If the DRC checkbox is enabled a design rules check is performed before fanouts are placed In cases where attaching a via t
33. 4 43 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts HGN NI Ultiboard User Manual e The Parts panel which lists the parts in the selected sub category The Parts panel contains the following buttons to help you work with the parts Button Description New button Creates a new part Refer to the Using the am Database Manager to Create a Part section for more information Edit button Edits a part Refer to the Editing a Placed Part In Place Edit section for more information Delete button Deletes a part Rename button Renames a part Copy button Copies a part wie a Move button Moves a part The Preview panel which allows you to preview the part you selected in the Parts panel To manipulate the view of the part click in the Preview area and use any of the following Show Dimensions button Displays selected dimensions of the part unit of measure is set from the Units drop down list To change the displayed dimensions click on the down arrow beside the Show Dimensions button Zoom In button Click to zoom in on the part for more detail You can also press the lt F8 gt key Zoom Out button Click to zoom out Shows less detail and more of the whole part You can also press the lt F9 gt key Zoom Window button Click or press lt F6 gt and then drag a rectangle around the portion of the part you want to enlarge The area inside the rectangle enlarge
34. 6 Click OK to return to the Part Groups tab The newly created group appears in the Groups list National Instruments Corporation 3 15 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design 7 Highlight the new group in the Groups box to display a list of nets you can add to the group in the Available Parts list as shown in the example below Edit Groups Net Groups Part Groups Bus Groups Differential Pairs Groups PartGroup1 Parts Available Parts Assigned Parts Add All gt gt 8 Select the desired nets in the Available Parts list you can use the lt Ctrl gt and lt Shift gt keys to select multiple items in the list The Add button becomes active 9 Click Add The selected parts move to the Assigned Parts column Or If desired click Add All to move all of the Available Parts to the Assigned Parts list Sy Note You cannot assign a part to more than one group Therefore parts that are already assigned to another part group do not appear in the Available Parts list NI Ultiboard User Manual 3 16 ni com Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design 10 Optionally use the up and down arrows to the right of the Assigned Parts list to change the order of parts in the list select a part and click the up or down arrow to move the part up or down This function is useful when replicating the location of parts from one part group to another Refer to the Replicat
35. ALL TAGS NUMBER REFDES VALUE e Match case e Match whole word only 3 Click Find The search results appear in the Results tab of the Speadsheet View 4 Double click an item in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View to zoom in and display that item in the workspace National Instruments Corporation 4 35 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Locating a Part in a Design sh Replacing Parts Up Cross probing To help you find specific parts in the open design use the Parts tab Complete the following steps to find a part in the design 1 Click the Parts tab in the Spreadsheet View 2 Click the part in the list 3 Click the Find and Select the Part button above the list of parts The view zooms in on the part which appears selected Complete the following steps to replace a part on the design with a part from the database 1 Select the part 2 Choose Tools Change Shape The Get a Part from the Database dialog box opens 3 Inthe Database panel expand the categories until you find the category where the part is The parts appear in the Available Parts panel 4 Inthe Available Parts panel select the part you need The part is previewed in the Preview panel when it is selected 5 Click OK to replace the selected part on the design with the part you chose from the database NI Ultiboard User Manual Cross probing is the ability to highlight a selected part or group of part
36. Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Toggles the density bars on and off Refer to the Working with Copper for more information Birds Eye Toggles the Birds Eye View on and off Refer to the Birds Eye View section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Design Toolbox Toggles the Design Toolbox on and off Refer to the Design Toolbox section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information National Instruments Corporation A 7 NI Ultiboard User Manual Appendix A Menus and Commands Command Description Spreadsheet View Toggles the Spreadsheet View on and off Refer to the Spreadsheet View section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information 3D Preview Toggles the 3D Preview pane on and off Toolbars Standard Toggles the Standard toolbar on and off Refer to the Standard Toolbar section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Toolbars View Toggles the View toolbar on and off Refer to the View Toolbar section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Toolbars Main Toggles the Main toolbar on and off Refer to the Main Toolbar section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Toolbars Draw Settings Toggles the Draw Settings toolbar on and off Refer to the Draw Settings Toolbar section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Toolbars Edit Toggles the Edit toolbar on
37. For example if you select a Start number of 2 and an Increment of 2 capacitors will be renumbered as C2 C4 C6 and so on This is not active if you selected Top then Bottom in step 2 Continue numbering from top side checkbox Enable as required This appears only if Top then Bottom is selected in step 2 Note If you selected Top Only in step 2 the elements in the Bottom tab are not active In this case proceed to step 5 NI Ultiboard User Manual 8 6 ni com Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly 5 Optionally enter a value in Part mask if you want to renumber only certain types of parts For example you can put R or C in that box if you only want to renumber resistors or only capacitors the default setting means that all part types are renumbered 6 To apply your changes and keep the dialog box open click Apply To apply your changes and close the dialog box click OK Renumbering results appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View Complete the following steps to renumber selected parts in the design 1 Select the parts you want to renumber on the design is 2 Choose Tools Renumber Parts The Renumber parts dialog box ed appears Enable the Change selected parts only checkbox 4 Make the desired settings in the Board side order drop down Top tab and Bottom tab as described earlier in this section 5 To apply your changes and keep the dialog box open
38. Internals Vie Wenen arein e ERE e ERE E E E 9 4 Exporting to 3D DAE iis ccides ceatiiees dics davies Ee EE E E AE aS 9 5 Exporting to 3D IGES 0 3 svsccssseesVesctdiescs snterseessepenosnsbared NETE EEE Ep aar 9 6 National Instruments Corporation XV NI Ultiboard User Manual Contents Chapter 10 Using Mechanical CAD Creating Mechanical CAD Projects eee eceseeseeseesecesecneeeaeceeeseseeesesseeeseeseeeaeeaeees 10 1 Creating Mechanical CAD Design Files eee cece eeeeseeseeeseeeeeseeeeeseseeeeeseeenees 10 2 Importing a DXF Piles peier ae ae ulna ae ide etn dea ade 10 3 Setting Mechanical CAD Properties and Options 0 0 0 0 eee eeeeeeeecseeeseeeeeeseeaeeneeeaeees 10 3 Setting Mechanical CAD Properties eee ec eeeeseeeeceeeceeeeseeseeeseeeeeaeeseees 10 3 Setting Mechanical CAD Colors eee eceseeeeseceeeeseeeeecseeesesseeseeeaeenseeaeees 10 3 Controlling Workspace Elements for Mechanical CAD eee 10 4 Setting Paths for Mechanical CAD woo eee eceseeseeeecreeeeeeseeeeetseeneeeaeeeaees 10 5 Setting Mechanical CAD Dimensions 0 eee eeeeseereeeeeeneeeeeteeeneeeaeeseees 10 5 Appendix A Menus and Commands Pile Menus anini a R ccens uowe a Shh E E ben aes A 1 Ede Me a a a NEE E a A 3 View Men e ae a Sr a sus dese RA E A E E A 7 Place Mention evs Si a ba aie edie es axe a A 9 Desis mMenu Sen ene n E A bend obs teoued dese vate betnenters EE E E A 12 Tools Men raa E A A RAER A 14 Options Me r aea e eE E O A E E EEEN EIE E EEEE
39. Package e QFP Quad Flat Package e BGA Ball Grid Array Package e SBGA Staggered Ball Grid Array Package e SIP Single in Line Package e ZIP Zigzag in Line Package 4 38 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Choose the desired Package Type and click Next to display step 3 of the wizard The following Package Dimension choices appear Units Select the unit of measure from the drop down list X The x dimension of the part displayed on the preview Y The y dimension of the part displayed on the preview 3D Height The height of the the part as displayed in the 3D view 3D Offset The distance between the PCB and the bottom of the part Corner Cutoff Notch A The size of the notch on the part Corner Cutoff Left Top Places the notch on the left top of the part Corner Cutoff Right Top Places the notch on the right top of the part Corner Cutoff Left Bottom Places the notch on the left bottom of the part Corner Cutoff Right Bottom Places the notch on the right bottom of the part Circle Pin 1 Indicator Enable to show a circle around pin 1 of the part Diameter The diameter of the circle around pin 1 of the part Becomes active when Circle Pin 1 Indicator is selected Distance from Edge tThe distance between the circle around pin 1 and the edge of the part Becomes active when Circle Pin 1 Indicator is selected 3 Note Depending on the Package Type selecte
40. Refer to the About Designs and Projects section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information New Project Creates a new project Refer to the About Designs and Projects section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information Open Opens an existing project and or design file Refer to the Opening an Existing File section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information Open Samples Displays the samples folder Save Saves the current design file and project Save As Saves the current design file with a name and location that you specify in the Save As dialog box Save All Saves all open design files and projects Close Closes the current design file Close Project Closes the current project Close All Closes all open design files and projects National Instruments Corporation A 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Appendix A Menus and Commands Command Description Import Imports an Ultiboard Netlist or DXF file Refer to the Creating a Design from a Netlist File section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design and the Importing a DXF File section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Export Exports Ultiboard files for post processing Refer to the Exporting a File section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information Save Technology Saves a technology file based on the current design that contains the design rules an
41. Reference Designator unique identifier Value The part s value for example 150 pF for a capacitor Shape The physical footprint of the part Locked Yes indicates that the part cannot be moved No indicates that the part can be moved Trace Clearance This is the minimum spacing allowed between the part and any trace You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Part Spacing This is the minimum spacing allowed between parts You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information National Instruments Corporation 1 35 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Spreadsheet View NI Ultiboard User Manual Column Description Pin Swap If enabled allows like pins to be swapped during the routing process You can choose either No not enabled Yes or Use Group Settings Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Gate Swap If enabled allows like gates to be swapped during the routing process You can choose Internal Gates Only which will swap gates within the same IC No Swapping Advanced Swapping which will swap gates between ICs both devices must be set to Adva
42. Running the Design Rules and Netlist Check sseesseesseeeeeerserereereesse 8 9 Cleaning up the Bard sc lcs ie eurae e eeir e eae E E EEEE SE ESES ERS 8 9 Deleting Open Trace Ends ireira anena a a 8 9 Deleting Unused Viason eni a a RE a EE E eens 8 9 Exporting Bile E E E E E barieey 8 10 Using Expoft Sethi Srn eei ii eed a R 8 11 Viewing and Editing Export Properties sseeesseesseresesrereersrrsrrsrsrrsrsresresesees 8 11 Setting Gerber Propere Sioerts in a vers eiaeeb bee 8 12 Setting DXF PropertieSi eron wien ln aad 8 12 Setting NC Drill Properties oere rene n aiaa Een 8 12 Working with SVG Properties esseeeseeeseeeseeeseeerrsrsresresesresesresrssese 8 13 Working with other Properties esssesssessseessrsreeesresresesresrsrrsresrsre 8 13 Exporting the Desired Filer toesien ete ee a ee 8 15 Pintig your Desi en ir arrea cased conc ose EE A ERE E bey deg eestessveuvip re Ea 8 16 Previewing the Printed Designo eee ee eeeeesseceeeeseeeseeeeeseesecseeeaeeeeeaeceeesesneeeaeenaes 8 17 Chapter 9 Viewing Designs in 3D Viewing the Board in 3D s ccccssevvescees ccssscesesietevsovncsteeesstued deverseets susvest eatery eieeeveen nied betes 9 1 Manipulating the 3D View anoncigi i a En EA E E AERE REA 9 2 Controlling the Elements Viewed in 3D ssssssssessesesseesseerssrsrrsrsrrsresesresrsresresrse 9 3 Showing an Object s Height esseeessesesssresesresrsresesresreresresrsresrerenerersresreresreet 9 4
43. Select the Bus Groups tab Highlight the desired group in the Groups list Do any of the following as required e Add nets to the group as described earlier in this section e Remove nets from the group using Remove All button Click to remove all Assigned Nets from the group Remove button Select the nets you wish to remove from the group in the Assigned Nets list and click Remove Click Apply Complete the following steps to delete a group 1 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box 2 Select the Bus Groups tab 3 Highlight the desired group in the Groups list and click Delete UN Caution No confirmation is given and the Delete action cannot be undone NI Ultiboard User Manual 3 20 ni com Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Working with Differential Pairs A differential pair has two traces that carry signals that are equal in value but opposite in polarity Complete the following steps to create a differential pair 1 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box 2 Click the Differential Pairs tab 3 Click Add The Add group dialog box appears 4 Enter the desired name and click OK The Change group settings dialog box appears 5 Change the settings in the Group Settings area as desired ays Note Refer to the Change Group Settings dialog box and Differential Pair Settings sections for more information 6 Click OK to return to the Differential Pairs tab
44. To remove all teardrops select Edit Copper Delete All Teardrops Viewing and Editing Copper Properties All copper elements traces copper areas and powerplanes share the same three properties tabs Attributes General and Position The fourth tab for traces is Line and the fourth tab for copper areas and powerplanes is Copper Area The General tab is where you edit the properties of the selected copper element Complete the following steps to edit the contents of the General tab 1 Inthe Measurements box set the desired Width Net shows the net to which the element is connected if any It is read only 2 Inthe Autorouter Settings box select either Trace is Fixed or Trace can be Moved User placed traces are fixed default setting so that they will not be moved when autorouting is performed 3 Optionally change the Units of measurement National Instruments Corporation 5 13 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 Inthe Clearances box enter the desired clearance of the selected object to traces in the To Trace field The Attributes tab is where you edit the attributes of the selected copper element Refer to the Attributes section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information The Position tab is where you change the layer the selected copper element is on from the Layer drop down list You can also use this tab to lock the copper elemen
45. Traces and Copper Complete the following steps to change a net s topology 1 Select Tools Netlist Editor and select the net from the Net drop down list in the Net edit dialog box 2 Click either Shortest Daisy chain or Star in the Topology area and click OK The ratsnest placement on the workspace changes to reflect the new topology e Shortest When connections are made the shortest distance possible will be maintained The order for the connection is not considered Refer to the figure below for an example e Daisy chain The connection between pins is based on the order in which the pins are selected The connection distance between pins is not considered Refer to the figure below for an example e Star Pins are connected with a reference point which is the first selected pin Other pins will only be connected to the reference source The effect is like a star with connections radiating out to other pins Orders in which the pins are selected or the distance between pins are not considered If the first pin is deleted from the NI Ultiboard User Manual 5 24 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper net then the pin below the reference point will become the source Refer to the figure below for an example Renaming a Net Complete the following steps to rename a net 1 Select Tools Netlist Editor and select the desired net from the Net drop down list in the Net edit dialog box 2 Click Renam
46. User Manual Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly 3 Complete the following in the Top tab as required Changes are shown in the Preview area Direction drop down Select either Horizontal or Vertical Start corner drop down Select the corner that you want renumbering to start from Start number Enter the number from which the parts will start renumbering for example 1 This is not active if you selected Bottom then Top in step 2 Increment The size of the the step between each number For example if you select a Start number of 2 and an Increment of 2 resistors will be renumbered as R2 R4 R6 and so on Increment is not active if you selected Bottom then Top in step 2 Continue numbering from bottom side checkbox Enable as required This appears only if Bottom then Top is selected in step 2 Note If you selected Bottom Only in step 2 the elements in the Top tab are not active In this case proceed to step 4 4 Complete the following in the Bottom tab as required Changes are shown in the Preview area Direction drop down Select either Horizontal or Vertical Start corner drop down Select the corner that you want renumbering to start from Start number Enter the number from which the parts will start renumbering for example 1 This is not active if you selected Top then Bottom in step 2 Increment The size of the the step between each number
47. a group Edit Lock Locks the selected elements in place so they cannot be moved Unlock Unlocks the selected elements Selection Filter These commands prevent the accidental selection of a particular type of element for example selection of a part when you mean to select a trace See below for information about each command Selection Filter gt Enable Selecting Parts Allows parts to be selected Selection Filter gt Enable Selecting Traces Allows traces to be selected Selection Filter gt Enable Selecting Polygons Allows polygons to be selected Selection Filter gt Enable Selecting Vias Allows vias to be selected Selection Filter gt Enable Selecting Pads Allows pads to be selected NI Ultiboard User Manual ni com Appendix A Menus and Commands Command Description Selection Filter Enable Selecting Pads Allows surface mount device pads to be selected Selection Filter gt Enable Selecting Attributes Allows attributes such as text to be selected Selection Filter gt Enable Selecting Other Objects Allows other objects on the PCB to be selected Orientation Flip Horizontal Flips the selected elements horizontally Refer to the Orienting Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Orientation Flip Vertical Flips the selected elements vertically Refer to the Orienting Parts section of Cha
48. a polygon on the design Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Place Copper Area button Places a polygon copper area on the design Refer to the Placing Copper Areas section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information ro R Follow me button Places a follow me trace a trace that automatically draws a legal trace between two selected points Refer to the Placing a Trace Follow me Method section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information i Place Multiple Traces as a Bus button Use to connect multiple traces between multi pinned devices such as ICs Refer to the Placing a Bus section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information R Place Group Array Box button A group array box is used to place parts in an array Refer to the Placing a Group Array Box section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information R Place Text button Places text on the design Useful for annotation purposes Refer to the Placing and Editing Text section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information FS Place a Standard Dimension button Places a dimension between any two selected points Refer to the Working with Dimensions section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information National Instruments Corporation 1 11 NI Ultiboar
49. by default cannot be deleted renamed or moved but you can delete rename or move the ones that you have added Complete the following steps to create a new database category 1 Open the Database Manager 2 Inthe Database panel click the root or a subcategory to indicate where the new category belongs The new category will be created as a sub category of the item you select 3 Click the New button above the Database panel A new category is a created with New Object Group as the name 4 Type a name for the new category and press lt Enter gt National Instruments Corporation 4 45 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Complete the following steps to copy a database category 1 In the Database panel select the category to be copied ez 2 Click the Copy button above the Database panel The Select ES Destination in Database dialog box appears 3 Select the category or sub category where the category is to be copied The copied category will go under the item you select 4 Click OK The category is copied to the location you specified and the Select destination in database dialog box disappears Complete the following steps to delete a database sub category 1 In the Database panel select the sub category to be deleted 2 Click the Delete button above the Database panel You are prompted to confirm the deletion The sub category disappears from the list Complete the following
50. dialog box appears 3 Inthe Fanout Type box select one of Fanout Board Fanout action will apply to the entire board Fanout Selected Part Fanout action will apply to the selected part only In the Fanout Via Configuration box enter the following as desired Via Drill Diameter The diameter of the placed vias holes Via Pad Diameter The diameter of the placed vias pads Via Spacing Factor This is for PGA parts only it does nothing for non PGA parts determines how far apart the vias are placed For example if the distance between the SMT pins is 2mils and the Via Spacing Factor is 2 then the distance between the vias will be 2mils x 2 4mils The direction of this distance depends on where the via is placed but basically if the SMT pin is at the top the the via will also be at the top and the distance is the Y distance between each row of vias will be 4mils The distance also depends on the particular part each part may have different SMT spacing so the distance may vary 5 18 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Click Start Fanout The Fanout Options dialog box disappears and the fanout vias are placed on the design as circled in the figure below Working with Nets This section contains the following subjects Using the Nets Tab Using the Nets Tab Using the Netlist Editor Highlighting a Net Shielding Nets Net Bridges Copying a Copper Route The Net
51. down list 3 Click Delete The setting is deleted from the Export settings drop down list Viewing and Editing Export Properties Properties can be viewed and edited for each device or type of export This is done through the property dialog boxes that correspond to the devices or types listed in the Export dialog box e Gerber RS 274D e Gerber RS 274X e DXF e Board Statistics e Bill of Materials e Parts Centroids e NC Drill National Instruments Corporation 8 11 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly NI Ultiboard User Manual Complete the following steps to display the properties dialog box for a type of export 1 Select the item in the list displayed in the Export dialog box 2 Click Properties The item s property dialog box appears Setting Gerber Properties The Gerber properties RS 274X or RS 274D dialog box allows you to select the layers to be exported the number of digits in numerals and the kind of measurements e Available layers list Select the layers to export in this list and click the gt button to move them to the Export Layers and Merged Layers list RS 274X only e Units box Select measurement system Imperial or Metric e Digits box Define the number of integers and decimal places e Oversize box Define the parameters for solder mask and solder paste e Options box Select the desired options Setting DXF Properties The DXF export se
52. either net Creating a Net Bridge Complete the following steps to create a net bridge 1 Select Tools Database Database Manager 2 Click the Create New Part button in the Parts area select Net bridge and click OK The Net Bridge Edit Layer displays on your workspace 3 Select Place Net Bridge Pins to display the Place Net Bridge Pin dialog box 4 Enter the desired parameters for the first pin of the net bridge click OK and place the pin on the workspace 5 Select Place Pins again enter the parameters for the second pin of the net bridge click OK and place the pin on the workspace in the desired location red ly Net bridge edit layer 6 Connect the two pins by selecting Place Shape Rectangle and drawing a rectangle between them being sure to overlap the two pins 5 30 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper ly Net bridge edit layer 7 Close the Net Bridge Edit Layer and when prompted Click Save The following dialog box appears Enter the name for the new netbridge Netbridge2 in the following example Insert the selected item s into the database x Database Existing parts Preview User w Netbridge2 Database w A User lt gt C Show subtree contents 9 Click OK National Instruments Corporation 5 31 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper NI Ultiboard User Manual
53. for high density boards with few bus connections aligning parts with similar lengths will not necessarily produce better routing results Enter a number from 0 to 10 If you enter 0 there is no segment fit preference so the autoplacer will not place parts with similar lengths beside each other 10 indicates a strong preference for aligning parts with equal edge lengths so the autoplacer will place parts with similar lengths beside each other whenever possible In the Parts area Part Rotation Mode Determines how much the autoplacer is able to rotate through hole technology parts when placing them In general when you restrict part rotation you simplify your part placement consume less CPU time and create a layout that is easy to change later However when you choose unrestricted part rotation you may end up with a much more efficient board layout than you would get with no part rotation Select one of None for no rotation 90 Deg for 90 clockwise rotation of all autoplaced parts 0 or 90 Deg to have parts either not rotate or rotate 90 clockwise 90 Deg Steps to have parts rotate either 90 180 or 270 degrees clockwise SMD Mirroring Lets you place surface mounted devices SMDs on both the top and bottom sides of a board and relax the part spacing You can place SMDs on both the parts and the solder sides of your boards using mirroring mode Select Yes to allow mirroring of all SMD parts or 2 Pin Parts Only to a
54. from 1 to 10 This number represents the portion of parts that will be placed in each pass For example if set to 3 the placer attempts to place one third of the parts then the next third and so on 4 Inthe Cost Factors area e Part Pin Factor Use to control cluster placement When determining which part should be placed next the cluster placer looks for a part that has many connections to parts that have already been placed This part can be either the one with the most pins or with the greatest percentage of pins connected to parts that have already been placed Enter a number from 0 to 10 O prioritizes parts with the highest absolute number of pin 7 2 ni com 5 National Instruments Corporation Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement connections 10 prioritizes parts with the highest ratio of connections to total pins A high part pin factor value usually results in a better distribution of nets than a low value However high values may cause excessive placement area fragmentation on high density layouts by placing small parts prematurely and preventing you from placing larger ones later on Segment Fit Use to control the extent to which the autoplacer puts parts with equal lengths side by side Placing parts with similar lengths beside each other results in neater and more professional looking board layouts It may also improve the routability of the board by aligning the parts with bus connections However
55. in the Projects tab 10 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 10 Using Mechanical CAD Creating Mechanical CAD Design Files To create anew mechanical CAD design you can either use the new design that appears when you create a mechanical CAD file or you can create a new design and assign it to an existing file To create a new design and assign it to an existing file 1 2 3 4 5 Open the file that the new design is to be added to Choose File New Design The New Design dialog box appears Type the design name in the Design name field From the Design type drop down list select Mechanical CAD Indicate the file where the design is to added The drop down list shows only the open files To include this design in another project open the file so that it appears in the Add to project drop down list Click OK The New Design dialog box disappears and a blank mechanical CAD design with the name that you specified is opened as a separate window The Projects tab shows the mechanical CAD design is a part of the open project that you specified during the design s creation the dialog box In the example shown below test is the mechanical CAD design Design Toolbox tJ D ggg sa GettingStarted i G51 i Gs2 i Gs3 i G54 i css bv test Projects Layers 3 Note Mechanical CAD designs can be part of a project containing PCB designs Project files are independent of design f
56. in the net are each marked with an X 5 Make your way to the next pad in the net remember to avoid parts and other traces Click to fix the trace to the board each time you change direction 5 2 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Tip Press lt Space gt to toggle between placing an orthogonal line a diagonal line Y a 45 degree line and a line of any angle 6 Click the next pad in the net Continue in this way from pad to pad clicking the points on the board where you must route the trace around obstacles 7 When you place the final trace in the net cancel trace placement by either pressing lt Esc gt twice or by right clicking and selecting lt Esc gt from the pop up menu that appears twice Narrowing Widening Trace Width On the Fly On occasion it may be necessary to change the width of a trace segment for example when placing it in a narrow area between pins You can change the width of a trace segment on the fly as detailed below Complete the following steps to change the trace width on the fly 1 Begin placing the trace as detailed above 2 Click to place a trace segment right click and select either Widen or Narrow from the pop up that appears 3 Continue placing the trace and left clicking to anchor trace segments The width of the trace segments either increases or decreases by 10 of the width of the previous trace segment depending on whether you selected Widen or Narrow 9 Tip If
57. of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Once a trace is placed lock it by selecting Trace is Fixed in its properties dialog in Ultiboard Lock vias with Via is Fixed Any traces set this way are treated as locked when you run the autorouter The autorouter can also be stopped during placement to allow you to place some fixed traces and then be restarted Running the Autorouter The full autorouter runs an end to end autorouting process that includes all four routing functions applied in the following order 1 Preprocessing 2 Initial routing 3 Rip up and retry passes 4 Optimization To perform a full autoroute choose Autoroute Start Resume Autorouter Ultiboard begins routing your board and displays its progress in the status line When the process is complete the results are displayed in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View National Instruments Corporation 7 7 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement Interactivity Ultiboard provides complete interactivity letting you stop the routing process as desired to manually place items and then continue autorouting when ready To stop autorouting select Autoroute Stop Pause Autorouter To restart select Autoroute Start Autoplacement Autorouting buses The circuit shown below is used in this example Bus 1 consists of the five nets that connect the two ICs o O p o o COD o o C o o e E
58. part so that a pad is put within a clearance a design rule error occurs 3 Note Ifyou used the Board Wizard the layer information and clearance may already have been set Refer to the Using the Board Wizard section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Complete the following steps to set up the Copper Layers tab 1 Set the number of layer pairs you intend to use by entering the value or using the up down arrows in the Layer Pairs field There should be at least one layered pair to act as a core 2 Set the number of Single Layer Build ups for both the top and bottom There should be at least one layered pair to act as a core 3 Select the Micro Vias Buried Vias or Blind Vias checkboxes to use these in your design National Instruments Corporation 1 23 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface As you make changes to the layer settings the Allowed Vias pane shows the acceptable layer combinations for blind and buried vias or microvias Use the checkboxes to select the layer combinations you want to allow in your design as shown in the example in the figure below Allowed Vias blind Via From Copper Inner 2 to Bottom Buildup 2 blind via From Copper Top to Bottom Buildup 2 Blind via from Top Buildup 1 to Bottom Buildup 2 Blind via From Top Buildup 2 to Bottom Buildup 1 VJ Blind Via From Top Buildup 2 to Copper Bottom _ Blind Via from Top Buildup 2 to Copper Inner 1 M Thro
59. routing copper Routing Priority The routing priority for the selected net 1 is the highest priority 2 the second highest etc Leave as None if priority routing is not required This feature is not available in all versions of Ultiboard Net Group This is the group in which the net is contained You can either enter the group name here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information 1 38 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Column Description Bus Group This is the bus group in which the net is contained You can either enter the group name here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Differential This is the differential pair to which the net belongs Pair Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Shield Net Use the drop down list to select the net to use to shield this net This feature is not available in all versions of Ultiboard Shield Width Width of the net s shield This feature is not available in all versions of Ultiboard Show This is where you can show or hide the ratsnest for the Ratsnest selected net Refer to the Working with Ratsnests section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Max Via This is
60. section provides information on where to find these files in order to properly back them up NI Circuit Design Suite stores program and user data in two possible locations Files that need to be accessed on a per machine basis are stored in different locations depending on the operating system Files that are created on a per user basis are stored in the Windows per user folder Multisim and Ultiboard share the same three database files Master Corporate and User Backing up the Corporate Database Windows XP and Windows 2000 The default Corporate database location for Windows XP and Windows 2000 is C Documents and Settings All Users Application Data National Instruments Circuit Design Suite 10 1 database The file name for the Corporate database is CPCOMP_S PRJ The Application Data folder is a system folder and thus may be hidden Complete the following steps to view this folder 1 Open a standard Windows explorer window 2 Select Tools Folder Options 3 Select the View tab Show hidden files and folders OK Windows Vista The default Corporate database location for Windows Vista is C ProgramData National Instruments Circuit Design Suite 10 1 database The file name for the Corporate database is CPCOMP_S PRJ National Instruments Corporation B 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Appendix B Archiving Data The ProgramData folder is a system folder and thus may be hidden Complete the following steps to view th
61. select one of Left Center or Right and one of Top Center or Bottom National Instruments Corporation 8 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly 4 7 Optionally in the Next Label area e Increment Enable to increase a number that you placed at the end of the text with each successive placement of that text You must also enter a value in Step Size For example if you enable this checkbox and enter 1 in Step Size and the Value you entered was Resistor1 the first placement of the text will say Resistor1 the second will say Resistor2 the third will say Resistor3 and so on e Decrement Similar to the Increment setting except that the number will decrease by the Step Size with each successive placement The number will not go below 0 Click OK The Text dialog box disappears the cursor now has your text on it Move the cursor where you want the text placed and click to drop the text Right click to cancel the Place Graphics Text command Complete the following steps to edit text 1 Double click the text The Copper Attribute Properties dialog box opens Click on the Attribute tab Edit the text Click OK The Copper Attribute Properties dialog box disappears and your changes are applied to the text in the design Capturing Screen Area NI Ultiboard User Manual You can capture an area of the screen and then manipulate the i
62. select whether to reset the currently selected toolbars or all toolbars You are prompted to select the configuration file you wish to use for example default ewcfg New Displays the Toolbar Name dialog box where you enter the name for a new toolbar When you click OK a new toolbar with the name that you entered is created Follow the steps in the Commands Tab section to add buttons to the toolbar Rename Use to rename a toolbar that you have created yourself You cannot rename toolbars that are included in Ultiboard by default Delete Use to delete the selected toolbar You cannot delete toolbars that are included in Ultiboard by default Show text labels Select this checkbox to show the text labels for example Save in the toolbar along with the command s icon Lock all docked toolbars Select this checkbox to lock all docked toolbars in place 4 Click Close when customizations are complete NI Ultiboard User Manual 1 50 ni com Keyboard Tab Chapter 1 User Interface The Keyboard tab is used to set up keyboard shortcuts Complete the following steps to set up keyboard shortcuts 1 Menu Tab Choose a menu from the Category drop down list and the desired command from the Commands list If a shortcut is already assigned it appears in the Current Keys field Enter a new shortcut in the Press New Shortcut Key field Click Close when customizations are complete The Menu tab is us
63. tab to work with information for copper areas Column Description Layer The layer on which the copper area is found as set in the Copper Area Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Copper Properties section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Locked Yes indicates that the copper area cannot be moved No indicates that the copper area can be moved Net The unique identifier for the net to which the copper area is connected Trace Clearance The minimum clearance permitted between the copper area and traces as set in the Copper Area Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Copper Properties section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Thermal Relief Style The style of thermal relief for the copper area as set in the Copper Area Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Copper Properties section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Spoke Width The size of the spokes a thermal relief as set in the Copper Area Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Copper Properties section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information National Instruments Corporation 1 45 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Spreadsheet View Keep ins Keep outs Tab Use the Keep ins Keep outs tab to work
64. that cover the entire plane Complete the following steps to place a powerplane 1 2 Splitting Copper In the Layers tab select the layer to be used as a powerplane Choose Place Powerplane The Choose Net and Layer for Powerplane dialog box appears Specify the Net and Layer for the powerplane Click OK The Choose Net and Layer for Powerplane dialog box disappears and the powerplane is placed on the layer that you specified The Polygon Splitter is used to split copper areas or powerplanes Complete the following steps to split a copper area or powerplane cad National Instruments Corporation N Choose Design Polygon Splitter Move the pointer to the polygon you want to split Click at the point where you want to begin the split Move the pointer over the polygon A line appears to indicate where the split will occur Move the line to the desired place and click to finish the split Right click to cancel the Polygon Splitter function 5 11 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Converting a Copper Shape to an Area Use to convert a copper shape to a polygon that supports voiding around unconnected nets Complete the following steps to shape a copper shape to an area 1 Select a copper shape in your workspace The figure below shows a coppers shape green that straddles two pins and traces 2 Select Design Shape to Area The copper is cut out to avoid t
65. the dual stripline calculations are ZO 30 In 8 H 0 67 3 1415926 0 8 W T In 8 H C 0 67 3 1415926 0 8 W T sqrt Er Tpd 84 66667 sqrt Er CO Tpd ZO LO C0 Z0 Z0 6 6 ni com Chapter 6 PCB Calculators PCB Differential Impedance Calculator To control reflections on high speed PCBs it is necessary to make the traces appear as if they are transmission lines This is done by calculating the characteristic impedance of the trace Zo and then terminating it with its characteristic impedance This makes the trace appear like an infinitely long transmission line and it will therefore have no reflections even though in reality it has a finite length What actually occurs is that all of the energy that travels down the trace is absorbed and there is no energy left to reflect back Once you have calculated Zo you can use it to design the trace s termination If two traces in a differential pair are placed closely together the differential impedance Zdiff of the pair must be calculated for proper trace termination This is the Differential Impedance Rule There are a number of methods used to terminate transmission lines for example series termination diode termination which are beyond the scope of this manual We recommend that you refer to any number of available texts on the subject 3 Note Equations used are based on the IPC D 317A document from the IPC organization www ipc org The PCB Di
66. the maximum number of vias allowed for the Count selected net You can use either the global settings or the group settings Via Drill This is the diameter of the via pad s hole Diameter Via Pad This is the diameter of the total via pad Diameter National Instruments Corporation 1 39 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Spreadsheet View Nets Groups Tab Use the Net Groups tab to work with net groups NI Ultiboard User Manual Column Description Net Group This is the group in which the net is contained You can either enter the group name here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Trace Width The default width of the traces in the group that are placed during routing You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design section for more information Max Width The maximum width to which a trace in the group will be laid during routing You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design section for more information Min Width The minimum width to which a trace in the group will be laid during routing You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section o
67. their keep in or keep out area Parts are inside a keep out area that should keep out low parts Parts are outside a keep in area that should keep in low parts Parts are inside a keep out area that should keep out high parts Parts are outside the keep in area that should keep in high parts Copper objects belonging to a net that should be outside a keep out arez Copper objects belonging to a net that should be within a keep in area ar Parts are inside keep out areas Parts are outside keep in areas Copper objects are on a layer not allowed by the net settings Traces are thinner than allowed by the net settings Traces are wider than allowed by the net settings The traces within a net are parallel to more traces of other nets than alloy The total length of the traces in a net are not wi specs mM gt A Cancel 3 Select the error type s to add to the filter You can use the lt Ctr1 gt and lt Shift gt keys to select multiple items 4 Click OK to close the Add Filter s dialog box and add the selected items to the Filter Manager 5 Click Close to close the Filter Manager dialog box The selected error types no longer display in the DRC tab To remove an error type from the Filter Manager select the error type and click Remove Filter To remove all error types click Remove All Spreadsheet View Results Tab The Results tab displays the results of searching for elements in the design Refer to the Searchi
68. to export a design s 3D properties 1 2 National Instruments Corporation Select File Export to display the Export dialog box Highlight 3D DXF and click Properties The DXF export settings dialog box appears Select the desired parameters to export and click OK You are returned to the Export dialog box Click Export A standard Windows Save dialog appears Select the desired filepath and enter the 3D DXF filename the file extension must be DXF Click Save 9 5 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 9 Viewing Designs in 3D Exporting to 3D IGES NI Ultiboard User Manual 3D IGES Initial Graphics Exchange Specification is a file format for the exchange of CAD information both 2D and 3D A 3D IGES file contains surface information and details of a part Complete the following steps to export a design s 3D IGES properties 1 2 Select File Export to display the Export dialog box Highlight 3D IGES and click Properties The IGES export settings dialog box appears Select the desired parameters to export and click OK You are returned to the Export dialog box Click Export A standard Windows Save dialog appears Selected the desired filepath and enter the 3D IGES filename the file extension must be igs Click Save 9 6 ni com Using Mechanical CAD Ultiboard s mechanical CAD function can be used to design enclosure boxes front panels or any other mechanical part associated wi
69. to orient a part 1 Select the part to be oriented 2 Choose one of the following commands from the Edit Orientation menu Flip Horizontal Flips the part from left to right Flip Vertical Flips the part from top to bottom 90 Clockwise Rotates the part 90 degrees clockwise 90 CounterCW Rotates the part 90 degrees counter clockwise Angle Rotates the part at an angle that you define Swap Layer Swaps the selected part to the mirror layer for example from Silkscreen Top to Silkscreen Bottom Aligning Shapes and Parts Shapes and parts can be aligned with other shapes and parts Complete the following steps to align shapes and or parts 1 Select the elements to be aligned 2 Choose one of the following commands from the Edit Align menu National Instruments Corporation Align Left Aligns the left edges of the selected elements Align Right Aligns the right edges of the selected elements Align Top Aligns the top edges of the selected elements Align Bottom Aligns the bottom edges of the selected elements Align Center Horizontal Shifts the selected elements horizontally so their centers are aligned Align Center Vertical Shifts the selected elements vertically so their centers are aligned 4 11 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts NI Ultiboard User Manual Spacing Shapes and Parts Shapes and parts can be spaced relative to each other on the board Complete t
70. user name gt usr B 2 ni com Appendix B Archiving Data The user s configuration file is stored at c Users lt user name gt AppData Roaming National Instruments 10 1 config The AppData folder is a system folder and thus may be hidden Complete the following steps to view this folder 1 Open a standard Windows explorer window 2 Select Organize Folder amp Search Options 3 Select the View tab Show hidden files and folders OK 3 Note You can change the locations of the configuration files and User database from the Preferences dialog box Refer to the Paths Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information National Instruments Corporation B 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Technical Support and Professional Services Visit the following sections of the award winning National Instruments Web site at ni com for technical support and professional services National Instruments Corporation Support Technical support at ni com support includes the following resources Self Help Technical Resources For answers and solutions visit ni com support for software drivers and updates a searchable KnowledgeBase product manuals step by step troubleshooting wizards thousands of example programs tutorials application notes instrument drivers and so on Registered users also receive access to the NI Discussion Forums at ni com forums NI Applications Engineers make sure every question su
71. you want to increase or decrease the next segment by more than 10 right click and select either Widen or Narrow multiple times 3 Note You will not be able to exceed the Max Width value for the net as set in the Nets tab of the Spreadsheet View or set a width lower than the Min Width value Placing a Trace Follow me Method While you must avoid obstacles such as other traces when placing a manual trace a Follow me trace avoids most of the obstacles that lie along a trace s route ky Note Refer to the Placing a Trace Manual Method section for information about manual trace placement National Instruments Corporation 5 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Complete the following steps to place a Follow me trace 1 Choose a copper layer 2 Choose Place Follow me re 3 Click a pad on the board The net the pad is connected to is highlighted and the pads in the net are each marked with an X 4 Move the mouse pointer to the next pad in the net The trace follows the pointer routing itself around most obstacles 5 When you place the final trace in the net cancel trace placement by either pressing lt Esc gt or by right clicking Tip Use lt Ctrl Shift W N gt to widen narrow the trace You can also change the trace width during routing by typing the desired value in the Draw Settings toolbar Otherwise trace size is determined from the net settings If you attempt to change to a net
72. 5 28 Align toolbar 1 8 alignment of parts 4 11 attribute names 4 16 attribute properties 4 20 attribute values 4 16 attribute visibility 4 16 attributes about 4 16 deleting 4 16 autoloading 1 15 automatic testpoints 7 9 autoplacer about 7 1 autoplacing parts 7 1 Autoroute menu items A 16 autorouter about 7 5 autosaving 1 15 backannotation 8 7 Bill of Materials exporting 8 14 birds eye view 1 30 block capacitor placement 7 1 National Instruments Corporation l 1 board adding layers 1 26 cleaning up before manufacturing 8 9 number of layers 1 26 removing layers 1 26 statistics export properties 8 13 board outline creating 3 5 drawing 3 5 from database 3 6 importing 3 6 using wizard 3 7 board properties about 1 22 displaying 1 22 grids and units 1 22 Button Appearance dialog 1 51 C capturing screen area 8 2 Change group settings dialog box 3 24 Choose Net and Layer for Powerplane dialog 5 11 circles placing 4 22 clusters 7 1 color controlling 1 17 mechanical CAD design 10 3 schemes setting up 1 17 configuration files back up B 2 connection machine trace custom routing 5 4 placing 5 4 using 5 4 NI Ultiboard User Manual Index Connectivity tab 1 34 connectors placing 4 22 conventions used in the manual vi copper deleting 5 12 splitting 5 11 copper areas placing 5 10 copper polygons placing 5 10 copper sharing 7 6 corner mitering 8 8 c
73. A 16 Auitoroute Men osia n E n E EET E E S A 16 Window M numiics gnie e e AN E E R a a E aa A 17 Help Menu E E E Sine en ANE A 18 Context MENUS ae or e R E E A E E a ERE A 18 Select Men rp r a E A A ei dese oh te A 18 Right drag Mentera ieii E A EA E OER ets A 20 Place Trace MOAN a a r Asi ea ie AR A 20 Appendix B Archiving Data Backing up the Corporate Database sereine i a e E ERE B 1 Backing up the User Database and Configuration files sessseeeseseesseersersrsersrrerrsesreees B 2 Appendix C Technical Support and Professional Services Glossary Index NI Ultiboard User Manual xvi ni com User Interface The following sections explain the basic components of the Ultiboard Graphical User Interface GUI and show how to set up user preferences and PCB properties Some of the described features may not be available in your edition of Ultiboard Refer to the NJ Circuit Design Suite Release Notes for a list of the features in your edition Introduction to the Ultiboard Interface Ultiboard is the PCB layout application of National Instruments Circuit Design Suite a suite of EDA Electronics Design Automation tools that assists you in carrying out the major steps in the circuit design flow Ultiboard is used to design printed circuit boards perform certain basic mechanical CAD operations and prepare them for manufacturing It also provides automated parts placement and layout Ss Note For more information on the Ultib
74. Assigned Nets column Click OK to close the Edit Groups dialog box If you do not wish to close the dialog box click Apply to accept the changes Complete the following steps to edit a differential pair 1 2 3 4 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box Select the Differential Pairs tab Highlight the desired group in the Groups list Do any of the following as required e Remove nets from the group using Remove All button Click to remove all Assigned Nets from the group Remove button Select the nets you wish to remove from the group in the Assigned Nets list and click Remove e Add nets to the group as described earlier in this section to a maximum of two per differential pair Click Apply Optionally highlight the desired group in the Groups list and click the Properties button to display the Change group settings dialog box Make the required changes in the Group Settings area and click OK 3 Note Refer to the Change Group Settings dialog box and Differential Pair Settings sections for more information Complete the following steps to delete a group 1 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box 2 Select the Differential Pairs tab 3 Highlight the desired group in the Groups list and click Delete UN Caution No confirmation is given and the Delete action cannot be undone National Instruments Corporation 3 23 NI Ultiboard User Manual
75. Check Select to prevent a DRC and netcheck in real time as you place objects for example parts Check on action end Select to perform a DRC and netcheck after each action for example part placement Full Realtime Check Select to perform DRC checks and ratnest updates to your work in real time as you place objects for example parts 12 In the Follow me router area 13 National Instruments Corporation Continuous placement Select to have the next trace begin from the finish point of the previous trace when placing a Follow me trace If this is not selected you must click to start a new trace Refer to the Placing a Trace Follow me Method section in Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for information about Follow me traces In the Crosshair area Trace snap Select to have the pointer snap to the nearest trace Refer to the Working with Traces section in Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for information about using trace snap 1 19 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Dimensions Tab NI Ultiboard User Manual 14 In the Automatic fiducial marks area Fiducial marks are used to align layers with each other As shown in the figure below Ultiboard uses three different types of cocentric circles as fiducial marks These are placed on three of the four corners of a design when it is printed or exported to Gerber e Show fiducial marks Select to s
76. Complete the following steps to add a net 1 Select Tools Netlist Editor and click the Pins tab 2 Click New The Add Net dialog box displays 3 Enter a name and click OK The new net name displays in the Net list ma To show or hide a ratsnest click the Show Hide Ratsnest button When The light green lamp indicates that there are no pins connected to the net The field in the middle of the pins tab is blank because the new net has no pins connected See below to add pins to a net Complete the following steps to add a pin to a new or previously existing net 1 Select Tools Netlist Editor and click the Pins tab 2 Select the desired net from the Net drop down list in the Net edit dialog box Tip You can also select the net by clicking on the button to the right of the drop down list and then clicking on one of the pins from that net in the workspace To do this there must already be pins connected to the net National Instruments Corporation 5 21 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Select net by using drop down list or button as described in the above tip ee TESTNET Topology Shortest O Daisy chan O Sar Select topology of net Width Pins Mise High Speed Groups Via Click to add pins to net using Add Pins to Net dialog box See next step 7 Add Pins button Click to add pins to net by clicking on them
77. DB V8 V9 database gt V10 in the Type drop down list Click Select Source Database Names in the Source Database area The Select a Component Database Name dialog box displays Navigate to the location of the database that you wish to convert your source database select the database type in the Files of type drop down list select the database and click Open You are returned to the Convert Database dialog box Click Start The Duplicate Part Name dialog box displays Select one of the following options e Auto Rename Imports and automatically renames the duplicate parts e Overwrite Replaces the Ultiboard 10 parts with your old parts e Ignore Does not import parts with duplicate names Click OK 4 49 NI Ultiboard User Manual Working with Traces and Copper The following sections describe how to work with traces and other copper elements in Ultiboard Some of the described features may not be available in your edition of Ultiboard Refer to the NJ Circuit Design Suite Release Notes for a list of the features in your edition Placing Traces You can place the traces on the board by using one of the methods explained here or by using the methods described in Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement The manual methods used to place traces are e Manual trace This method allows you the maximum control in trace placement You select the pads and vias to be connected and dictate the path the tra
78. Des and Pin Number For example U1 P1 is pin number one of the device with RefDes U1 Pad Shape The shape of the pad as set in the SMT Pin Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing SMT Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Pad Radius The radius of the pad as set in the SMT Pin Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing SMT Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Pad Width The width of the pad as set in the SMT Pin Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing SMT Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Pad Height The height of the pad as set in the SMT Pin Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing SMT Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information National Instruments Corporation 1 41 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Column Description Trace The clearance of the trace to parts You can use net Clearance settings or as set in the SMT Pin Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing SMT Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Neck Length The default length of the neck where the trace attaches to the pin as set in the SMT Pin Properties dialog box You can also enter the value here Refer to the Viewing and E
79. Edit Text or Attribute button Allows you to edit the selected text Rotate Clockwise button Rotates selected item Ti clockwise Refer to the Orienting Parts section of E Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Rotate Counter Clockwise button Rotates selected item an counter clockwise Refer to the Orienting Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Swap Layer button Places a part on mirror layer Refer to the Orienting Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information The Align toolbar contains the functions used to align and space design elements Refer to the Aligning Shapes and Partsand Spacing Shapes and Parts sections of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information The Align toolbar buttons are explained in the table below Button Description Align Left button Aligns the left sides of the selected O parts Align Right button Aligns the right sides of the selected 0 o parts 1 8 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Button Description 70 0 Align Top button Aligns the top edges of the selected parts Olt of Align Bottom button Aligns the bottom edges of the selected parts t Align Center Horizontal button Shifts the selected elements horizontally so their centers are aligned ae e Align Center Vertical button Shifts the selected el
80. Impedance Calculator eee es eseeseeseceeeseceseeseeeseceesesesseseaeesees 6 7 Microstrip Calculations isc cscie ees vcses soot seats sweet a a 6 8 Embedded Microstrip Calculations 00 0 0 cece eeceseeseeseceseeseeesecesensesseeeseeaees 6 9 Centered Stripline Calculations ccc eee eeeeseceeceseeeeeesecseeeseeeeeseeaeenaes 6 10 Asymmetric Stripline Calculations ei cceeeeeeceeseeeeeeseeseeeseeeeceaeeseeeaeeeenaes 6 12 Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement Autoplac ment Of Parts 2 cocci cise sdk a Solve beh eevee sn A can ae inet ene TEE ES 7 1 Pre Placin Parts i 5 8 as et ee A Bid eta eae ete es eg a R 7 1 Understanding How the Autoplacer Works 00 cece eeeeeseeeeeeseteeeeeeeees 7 1 Running the Autoplacer scii ne a Ai 7 2 Controlling the Autoplacer eee esceseeseceseesecesececeeeeseseaesseseaeeeeeseeaeees 7 2 Strategies to Achieve Better Part Placement eee ee eeeesesseeeeeeeeeeeeeees 7 4 AUOT GS esas casos vest ee EEE A N E vos ub cceus ENET LE susan AE aR 7 5 Understanding How the Autorouter Works sseseseessesesesresssrsresresrsresrsresreeese 7 5 Understanding the Four Fundamental Routing Functions 0 0 0 7 5 Router Preprocessing ccein onia a R 7 5 ital ROUNE oeer teedii uere ea a e h ar R teestese 7 6 Rip up and Retry Routing esseeessesesessseersresrrersresrerrsresrsresresesresesse 7 6 Opti ZallON s witu Raver athe eetesscee EEE E e ERE EEE 7 6 Routing Selected Parts and Nets ei c
81. Manual Index R ratsnest about 4 5 rectangles placing 4 22 redlining 8 3 reference point 3 8 Renumbering parts dialog 8 5 rip up and retry algorithm 7 1 routing 7 6 router pin gate swap 7 10 router preprocessing 7 5 router cleanup 7 6 routing functions running together 7 7 Routing Options dialog Autoplace tab 7 2 Bus Autorouting tab 7 15 Cost Factors tab 7 12 General tab 7 10 Optimization tab 7 15 Rip up tab 7 14 Routing strategies 7 16 routing initial 7 6 rubber banding 4 7 ruler bars toggling on and off 4 10 using 4 10 S Select Groups for Replica Place dialog 4 14 Select toolbar 1 6 selection filtering 2 12 shape properties 4 21 shapes placing 4 22 shoving toggling on and off 4 7 SMT pin properties 4 34 software NI resources C 1 spacing of parts 4 12 NI Ultiboard User Manual l 6 Spreadsheet View 1 31 strategies for 100 part placement 7 4 support technical C 1 surface mount pad oversize setting 1 26 swap router pin gate 7 10 T Teardrops dialog 5 13 technical support C 1 Technology File Settings dialog 2 12 test points pin type 4 26 placing 4 25 properties 4 26 wire type 4 26 testpoints default pin diameters 1 17 text placing 8 1 through hole pin properties 4 33 tolerance oversize value 1 26 toolbar sizing 1 14 Tool tip label 2 16 trace ends deleting open 8 9 trace hugging 7 6 trace spacing equi space 5 9 trace deleti
82. NI Ultiboard User Manual TA lt 7 NATIONAL ee Sinstruments 374488D 01 ELECTRONICS WORKBENCH GROUP Worldwide Technical Support and Product Information ni com National Instruments Corporate Headquarters 11500 North Mopac Expressway Austin Texas 78759 3504 USA Tel 512 683 0100 Worldwide Offices Australia 1800 300 800 Austria 43 662 457990 0 Belgium 32 0 2 757 0020 Brazil 55 11 3262 3599 Canada 800 433 3488 China 86 21 5050 9800 Czech Republic 420 224 235 774 Denmark 45 45 76 26 00 Finland 358 0 9 725 72511 France 01 57 66 24 24 Germany 49 89 7413130 India 91 80 41190000 Israel 972 3 6393737 Italy 39 02 41309277 Japan 0120 527196 Korea 82 02 3451 3400 Lebanon 961 0 1 33 28 28 Malaysia 1800 887710 Mexico 01 800 010 0793 Netherlands 31 0 348 433 466 New Zealand 0800 553 322 Norway 47 0 66 90 76 60 Poland 48 22 328 90 10 Portugal 351 210 311 210 Russia 7 495 783 6851 Singapore 1800 226 5886 Slovenia 386 3 425 42 00 South Africa 27 0 11 805 8197 Spain 34 91 640 0085 Sweden 46 0 8 587 895 00 Switzerland 41 56 2005151 Taiwan 886 02 2377 2222 Thailand 662 278 6777 Turkey 90 212 279 3031 United Kingdom 44 0 1635 523545 For further support information refer to the Technical Support and Professional Services appendix To comment on National Instruments documentation refer to the National Instruments Web site at ni com info and enter the info code feedback 2006 2009 National Inst
83. National Instruments Corporation 4 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Complete the following steps to drag a part from outside the board outline 1 Click on the part and drag it to the appropriate location The placed part remains highlighted 2 Click anywhere on the workspace or right click to de select the part Using the Parts Tab in the Spreadsheet View The Parts tab in the Spreadsheet View shows a list of all the parts in your design The Parts tab is also where you select parts lock parts so they cannot be accidentally moved and place parts on the board It also contains functions to help you find parts on the board and preview a selected part 1 x s 5 mm 4 Ja EEK S Fe A Oo mlm RefDes Yalue Shape Locked o ci 1uF POL ELKOSRS No _ e c2 10nF KERKO6X5SR5 No 2 c3 100uF POL ELKO10RS No s 5X ae a POT ennn C A No SS Qe J2 SPDT SW_S3P No G J3 4 HORIX4 HDR1X4 Yes v gt Results DRC Parts Part Groups Nets Net Groups j 1 Dark Green Indicator 5 Preview of Selected Part 8 Lock Selected Parts Button 2 Bright Green Indicator 6 Show or Hide Preview Button 9 Find and Select Part Button 3 Orange Indicator 7 Start Placing Unpositioned Parts 4 Selected Part Button NI Ultiboard User Manual The dark green indicator 1 shows that the part has not been placed within the board outline If all parts indicators are d
84. Next to display step 6 of the wizard The following Pins information appears Units The unit of measure Number of Pins The number of pins in the part Distances Between pins A The A distance between pins as shown on the preview Distances Between rows B The B distance between rows as shown on the preview 4 41 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts B Note Distances information changes depending on the Package Type you selected in step 2 of the wizard 10 11 12 13 Make the desired pin settings and click Next to display step 7 of the wizard The following Pad Numbering information appears Type of Pad Numbering Available options appear here Many parts only have the Numeric option others are alpha numeric numeric alpha e Direction of Pad Numbering Displays the available options for the selected package type e Start Number Offset Offsets the starting position of the pad numbers Make the desired Pad Numbering settings and click Finish The wizard closes and the part is available for further editing in the Footprint edit mode using the Place and Draw tools Refer to the Toolbars section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information When you are finished choose File Save to database as The Insert the selected Item s into the Database dialog box appears with a cursor in the Existing Parts field Type a name for the new part The name must b
85. Parts field 7 Type a name for the new part The name must be unique 8 Click OK The Insert the selected Item s into the database dialog box disappears but the edit mode window stays visible The part can be placed from the database Refer to the Placing Parts from the Database section for more information 9 Click the design in the Projects tab of the Design Toolbox to return to the design screen National Instruments Corporation 4 37 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Using the Part Wizard to Create a Part The Part Wizard steps you through the process of creating a part rk P NI Ultiboard User Manual Complete the following steps to use the Part Wizard 1 2 Choose Tools Part Wizard Step 1 of the Part Wizard appears Choose one of the following e THT Through Hole pin technology e SMT Surface Mount pin technology Click Next to display step 2 of the wizard If you chose TH in step 1 of the wizard the Package Type choices shown below appear DIP Dual in Line Package e PGA Pin Grid Array Package e SPGA Staggered Pin Grid Array Package e SIP Single in Line Package e ZIP Zigzag in Line Package If you chose SMT in step 1 of the wizard the Package Type choices shown below appear e SOT Small Outline Transistor TO Transistor Outline e SO Gullwing Small Outline SOIC SOP TSSOP e SO J Small Outline J Lead e PLCC Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier
86. RMED SYSTEM FAILURES ANY APPLICATION WHERE A SYSTEM FAILURE WOULD CREATE A RISK OF HARM TO PROPERTY OR PERSONS INCLUDING THE RISK OF BODILY INJURY AND DEATH SHOULD NOT BE RELIANT SOLELY UPON ONE FORM OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEM DUE TO THE RISK OF SYSTEM FAILURE TO AVOID DAMAGE INJURY OR DEATH THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MUST TAKE REASONABLY PRUDENT STEPS TO PROTECT AGAINST SYSTEM FAILURES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO BACK UP OR SHUT DOWN MECHANISMS BECAUSE EACH END USER SYSTEM IS CUSTOMIZED AND DIFFERS FROM NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS TESTING PLATFORMS AND BECAUSE A USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER MAY USE NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER PRODUCTS IN A MANNER NOT EVALUATED OR CONTEMPLATED BY NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS THE USER OR APPLICATION DESIGNER IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR VERIFYING AND VALIDATING THE SUITABILITY OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS WHENEVER NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE INCORPORATED IN A SYSTEM OR APPLICATION INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE APPROPRIATE DESIGN PROCESS AND SAFETY LEVEL OF SUCH SYSTEM OR APPLICATION Conventions bold italic monospace monospace bold monospace italic The following conventions are used in this manual The symbol leads you through nested menu items and dialog box options to a final action The sequence File Page Setup Options directs you to pull down the File menu select the Page Setup item and select Options from the last dialog box This ico
87. Remove Copper You are prompted to confirm the removal 3 Click Yes to remove the copper The copper is deleted and the ratsnest reappears iy Note Refer to the Spreadsheet View section of Chapter 1 User Interface for information about the other buttons in this tab Using the Netlist Editor _8 NI Ultiboard User Manual You can use the netlist editor to view the nets in the design and to view the pins in the nets You can also use it to add and delete nets from the design add delete pins from an existing net adjust trace widths in a net set high speed parameters and adjust a net s via diameters and via drill hole size To open the netlist editor choose Tools Netlist Editor The Net Edit dialog box opens Complete the following steps to lock a net in place 1 Select the desired net in the Net drop down list 2 Click the Lock Net button 5 20 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Complete the following steps to add new pins to a locked net 1 Select the desired net in the Net drop down list 2 Click the Lock Net button to unlock the net 3 Add the necessary pins and connections Refer to the Adding a Net section for more information 4 Route the new net Click the Lock Net button depressed this button shows the ratsnest for the net selected in the Net drop down list Refer to the Working with Ratsnests section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for information about ratsnests Adding a Net
88. Select Modes s3s3si2d ecsresndie leveled etevie ee a eh goad aang 2 13 Searching for Design Element 000 0 ec eeeeeeceseeseeeseeseceseeaeeeseeaecneceaesseeeseseeeaeeaeees 2 14 Options for Viewing the Design eee cece eseeeseeseceeeeseceseeseeneceseseeeseseeeeaeeseeeseeeeees 2 15 Usine the Pull S Cree x neres tech laste E cick dessus R EE R 2 15 Magnifying and Shrinking the View cece eeeceseeseeeseeseeeseeseeneeeaeenees 2 16 Refreshing the Desio Karr aende eaea desa geir a S edeesvesssscesveceters 2 16 Toolt p Label n ies R eae O 2 16 NI Ultiboard User Manual X ni com Contents Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Working with Layers sccccs csesebecccasestcuecdseesssuscadea duteaceies edad a aa aia 3 1 Defining Copper Layers more eta EE einen Galeton iaeegeest 3 1 Accessing LayetS 5 i csssicees ce eR EA N dis a TAEA 3 3 Working with the Board Outline ssssesessseeeseeessesrsesrssesrestsesresrerestesrsresresrsrenreeeseesenees 3 5 Using the Drawing Tools to Create a Board Outline 0 eee eee 3 5 Importing a DXF Bile cscs cites seettesessscectecscesu lb ces caseecheceuvs sit EAEE R 3 6 Using a Pre Defined Board Outline 00 eee eeeeesecseeeseeeeeseeseeneeeaeeeaes 3 6 Using th Board Wizard ansen s arae ee EE E E A AE ANE 3 7 Setting the Board s Reference Point esseseessseseersiressirsssessernesernreeedeusesessenreseseesesres se 3 8 Enter coordinate dialog DOK ee eeeeceseeeeeeseceeeeseceeeseceeeeseesseeaecneeeatensea
89. Shielding Nets iv sessset t agavens dee ied vaeveeedaeeecettpevv aa be aea deaa aE E vives 5 28 Net Bridges oii ianea saaa ascs eden epa oa o or arar aaa SARETE Ei EREN 5 30 Cr ating a Net Bridge sssi aeo iiaeia eaa 5 30 Placing a Net Bridge iisi itina n 5 32 Copying a Copper Route se ssscccssviciscasssssadescdusessecbiecescovesiates cobsenssescapgeessasvasedens 5 33 National Instruments Corporation xiii NI Ultiboard User Manual Contents Swapping Pinsand Gatesa esnias esee a eera R A iese EE OSEE LE SEE E ni 5 34 SWAPPING PINS gt sninen aai an iare prta Pa ar ea ERES 5 34 Sw pping Gat Sm nonen tno cen I E EA EAE 5 35 Automatic Pin Gate Swapping eeseesesessseesresrsrrsrsrrsseersesrssrsrerrsrestesrsresrseest 5 38 Real Time Pin Gate Swapping eesseeessessrssesrserssrsrsrrsresrsresresrsresresesresrseesreet 5 39 Chapter 6 PCB Calculators PCB Transmission Line Calculator cee eeeescceeceeeseeeseeseceseeseesseeseeeecesscneeeaeeneeeaes 6 1 Microstrip Trace Calculations ecceeesesseceseesecesecseeesecseesaeeeeeeseseeeeaeesaes 6 2 Embedded Microstrip Trace Calculations i cceseeceeseeeeeeeesceeeeeeeaeeeees 6 3 Centered Stripline Trace Calculations 200 0 eee eeeecesseeeeeseceeeeseeseeeaeeneeeaes 6 4 Asymmetric Stripline Trace Calculations ccccecesceseeseesesseesessenesessneaes 6 5 Dual Stripline Trace Calculations ieee cee eseeseceseeseeeseesseeseeesenseseeeeseesaes 6 6 PCB Differential
90. Tip You can make your own toolbars and add or delete buttons from existing toolbars to get everything to fit Refer to the Toolbars Tab section for more information Setting Preferences This section explains general procedures for setting preferences The following sections describe details of setting specific options Complete the following steps to set your user preferences 1 Choose Options Global Preferences The Preferences dialog box appears offering you the following tabs General Tab Paths Tab Colors Tab PCB Design Tab Dimensions Tab 3D Options Tab 2 Select the desired tab 3 Set the desired customization options The specific options and settings available in the tabs are described in the following sections 4 Click OK to save your changes General Tab Complete the following steps to change workspace options I 1 Choose Options Global Preferences and select the General tab 2 Set the Fullscreen mode View Crosshair and Mouse wheel behavior settings as desired 3 Set the following as desired National Instruments Corporation Auto save settings Enable to have changes automatically saved at the specified Time interval Minimum control point size The size of the contol points on vertices and other objects 1 15 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Paths Tab NI Ultiboard User Manual e Line width cache size The number of recently used line widths U
91. a Design for more information P S p Zoom Bounds button Shows the entire design including objects that are outside of the board outline National Instruments Corporation 1 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Main Toolbar The Main toolbar contains buttons for common board design functions Its buttons are described in the table below Button Description Select button De activates any selected mode WS for example for placing traces and allows you to select an element on the board Show or Hide Design Toolbox button Shows or hides i the Design Toolbox Refer to the Design Toolbox section for more information Show or Hide Spreadsheet button Shows or hides the H Spreadsheet View Refer to the Spreadsheet View section for more information Database Manager button Displays the Database F Manager Refer to the Managing the Database section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information 3 Board Wizard button Launches the Board Wizard ee Refer to the Using the Board Wizard section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Part Wizard button Starts the Part Wizard Refer to the eh Using the Part Wizard to Create a Part section of a Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Place Part from Database button Allows you to browse the database for a part to place Refer to the Placing Parts fe from the Database se
92. ace The Capture Land Diameter field determines the land diameter where the microvia starts while Target Land Diameter determines the diameter where the microvia ends These terms are in accordance with the IPC and JPCA joint standard IPC JPCA 2315 Design Guide for High Density Interconnects HDI and Microvias The Maximum Layer Span is either one or two layers Maximum Vias Per Net The Nets area is where you set up the maximum number of vias allowed per net Surface Mount Pads Oversize Depending on the manufacturing process you are using you may wish to enlarge the size of all surface mount pads by a fixed amount This can be set independently for the Top and Bottom layers The setting refers to the amount that will be added to the pad In the case of a circular pad this amount is added to the radius In the case of a rectangular or square pad the amount will be added to the width and length General Layers Tab S g Use the General Layers tab of the PCB Properties dialog box to control which layers are available on the board Complete the following steps to control the numbers of layers in the board 1 Add layers to the board by selecting the checkbox beside the layer name 2 Remove layers from the board by clearing the checkbox beside the layer name Note You can have a layer available on the board and temporarily dim or hide it Refer to the Accessing Layers section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more informat
93. aces the selected part in the database Refer to the Adding Parts to the Database section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Database Set Database Password Sets a password for access to database functions that make any changes to a database Complete the following steps to set a password for a database 1 Select Tools Set Database Password 2 Select the desired database from the Database drop down list 3 Enter the new password in the Password field and re enter it in the Confirmation field 4 Click OK to save the password Database Merge Database Converts existing part databases to Ultiboard 10 1 format Refer to the Merging Databases section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Database Convert Database Updates your old User and Corporate databases to Ultiboard 10 format Refer to the Converting Databases section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information PCB Transmission Line Calculator Calculates parameters for typical printed circuit board trace geometries Refer to the PCB Transmission Line Calculator section of Chapter 6 PCB Calculators for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual A 14 ni com Appendix A Command Description PCB Differential Impedance Calculator Netlist Editor Group Editor Performs calculations for two traces that carry signals that are exactly equal and opposite a differential pai
94. aimer in the documentation and or other materials provided with the distribution The name of the author may not be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR AS IS AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT INCIDENTAL SPECIAL EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES LOSS OF USE DATA OR PROFITS OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY WHETHER IN CONTRACT STRICT LIABILITY OR TORT INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE Trademarks National Instruments NI ni com and LabVIEW are trademarks of National Instruments Corporation Refer to the Terms of Use section on ni com legal for more information about National Instruments trademarks Electronics Workbench Multisim and Ultiboard are trademarks of National Instruments Portions of this product obtained under license from Bartels Systems GmbH Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies Members of the National Instruments Alliance Partne
95. alue in the Draw Settings toolbar Otherwise trace size is determined from the net settings If you attempt to change to a net width that is too big DRC errors appear the trace width will not change Placing a Bus Use to connect multiple traces between multi pinned devices such as ICs The procedure below uses the following example a or kid o ooogooogogno ur ue ecooocooo ccoo ooo o Bus 1 consists of these five nets and is setup in the Edit Groups dialog or the Spreadsheet View Complete the following steps to place the copper for the bus in the above example 1 Be sure that you have not selected any pins 2 Select Place Bus The cursor changes to a bus symbol Click on a pin on each of the nets that you wish to place in the bus and then move the cursor towards the target IC Clickon a pin from each of the nets The traces inthe bus are drawn as you move the cursor National Instruments Corporation 5 5 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper 3 Move the cursor toward the bus s destination pins and double click to complete copper placement t Sr ocoococo Pi No o Sl ue o a 9 Q o 9 Q Double click to finish Ae connection of copper in bus lt gt Working with Density Bars NI Ultiboard User Manual Density bars use color to indicate the density of pins and pads at cr
96. ample below r D PCB va YB Cooper Bottom WW Keapinviout Layer Board Outline i To Solder Mask Top Solder Mask Bottom Assembly Paste Mask Top Glue Mask Top Bi Glue Mask Bottom Mechanical layers V Mechanical Layer 1 E Mechanical Layer La ele ta Projects Lapers a he zi O s5 G as4 O ss T asz s R Design Rule Error R Dedim Rule Error 4 Results DRC Net 12 Connected T Net 13 Connected T Net 13 Connected T Part Groups Nets o Net 8 Net 8 t8 Net 8 Net Groups SMT Pads Copper Areas Keep ns Keep outs Layers Parts Position Statistics Depending on what you are doing on the board you may see the following kinds of errors if you keep the DRC tab open while you work NI Ultiboard User Manual Part refdes value has an unknown shape shape name The given part has a shape defined that does not exist in the database Part refdes is Not On the design tThe part with the given refdes was specified in the netlist but is not present on the design Pin Pin number from Part refdes value in Net Net name is missing from shape shape name A pin belonging to the specified part was given in the netlist but does not exist in the shape that was given for the part 3 10 ni com Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Unused Pin Pin name is
97. and includes facilities for sorting the information displayed e Columns Click column headers in the bill of materials list to sort the columns e File type box Select any of TXT CSV and HTML e Add column button Other attributes that have been defined for objects can be assigned to columns for reporting purposes for example preferred part supplier Click to define a new column e Remove column button Select a column to remove in the drop down list and click this button Working with Parts Centroids Properties The Parts Centroids dialog box provides a list of all parts on the boards and their coordinates and includes facilities for sorting the information displayed Columns Click column headers in the list to sort the columns e File type box Select any of TXT CSV and HTML e Units box Select the unit of measurement e Add column button Other attributes that have been defined for objects can be assigned to columns for reporting purposes for example preferred part supplier Click to define a new column e Remove column button Select a column to remove in the drop down list and click this button Working with Test Point Properties The Test Points Report dialog box provides a list of all test points on the boards and their coordinates e Columns Click column headers in the list to sort the columns e File type box Select any of TXT CSV and HTML e Units box Select the unit of measure
98. and intensity of the rip up and routing process Thus high values are especially useful for special tasks such as achieving 100 percent completion without intermediate router passes e Distance 1 0 or 1 Grid Cost Factor Controls the use of channels left by ripped up traces in the near distance 0 1 grid point trace to trace A high value results in infrequent use of these channels forcing relatively more local changes during rip up and retry routing A low factor permits the router to use these channels freely e Distance 2 2 Grid Cost Factor Controls the use of channels left by ripped up traces in the far distance 2 or more grid points trace to trace A high value results in infrequent use of these channels forcing relatively more global changes during rip up and retry routing 3 Optionally enable the Memory Cleanup During Routing checkbox in the Router Housekeeping area to purge the memory of unneeded information 4 Ifyou wish to return the values to the default settings for Ultiboard click Default AA Caution The Default button sets default values for all tabs in the Routing Options dialog box NI Ultiboard User Manual 7 14 ni com Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement Routing Options Optimization Tab Complete the following steps to set optimizer options 1 2 Select the Optimization tab in the Routing Options dialog box Edit one or both of the fields in the Optimizer area e Optimizer Passes U
99. and off Refer to the Edit Toolbar section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Toolbars Align Toggles the Align toolbar on and off Refer to the Align Toolbar section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Toolbars Place Toggles the Place toolbar on and off Refer to the Place Toolbar section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Toolbars Select Toggles the Select toolbar on and off Refer to the Select Toolbar section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Toolbars Wizard Toggles the Wizard toolbar on and off Refer to the Wizard Toolbar section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Toolbars Autoroute Toggles the Autoroute toolbar on and off Refer to the Autoroute Toolbar section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual A 8 ni com Place Menu Appendix A Menus and Commands The following table describes the commands found in the Place menu Command Description From Database Places parts from the database onto the workspace Refer to the Placing Parts from the Database section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Line Places a line or a trace depending on the active layer Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics of Chapter 4 Working with Parts and the Placing a Trace Manual Method section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Select Use to change from placin
100. anges to the layer settings the information window shows the acceptable layer combinations for blind and buried vias or microvias In this window select the layer combinations you want to allow in your design e Click Next 3 7 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design 4 If you chose Single Sided or Double Sided or upon clicking Next after defining the lamination settings for a multi layer board e Define the default Units of measurement for the design e Define the board Reference Point This can be changed later Refer to the Setting the Board s Reference Point section for more information e Define the Board Shape and Size e Set the default Clearance for the board This is the distance from the edge of the board that is to be kept free of any other elements Trying to run a trace through a clearance or trying to place a part so that a pad is put within a clearance for example results in a design rule error 5 Click Finish The board outline is placed on your design Setting the Board s Reference Point The reference point of the board is important for relating physical dimensions to PCB layouts since all measurements are shown relative to this origin point If you used the Board Wizard this reference may already have been set Refer to the Using the Board Wizard section for more information Complete the following steps to set a reference point 1 Choose Design Set Reference Point The cu
101. appear in all tabs Button Description Es Export to Textfile button Displays a standard Windows Save dialog where you save the selection as a textfile Export to CSV File button Displays a standard Windows Save dialog where you save the selection as a file with comma separated values Export to Excel button Click to open a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with the selected data displayed You must have Excel installed to use this function Sort Ascending button Sorts the selected column in all ascending order z Sort Descending button Sorts the selected column in Ai descending order 5 Print button Prints the data in the selected tab Select All button Selects all elements in the tab nim Copy button Copies the selection to the clipboard National Instruments Corporation 1 31 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Button Description a Find and Select the Part button Zooms in on the selected part Refer to the Using the Parts Tab for Other Functions section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Lock the Selected Part button Locks the selected unlocked parts or unlocks the selected locked parts Refer to the Using the Parts Tab for Other Functions section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Lat Start Placing the Unpositioned Parts button Refer to the Using the Parts Tab to Plac
102. area edit the following fields as desired e Input Length Unit Select mils or millimeters e Dielectric Height H1 Refer to the figure below e Dielectric Thickness H Refer to the figure below e Trace Thickness T Refer to the figure below e Trace Width W Refer to the figure below e Relative Permittivity epsilon r Refer to the figure below W E H Where 0 1 lt WH lt 3 H1 gt 12H 1 lt amp lt 15 4 Click Calculate Results of the calculation appear in the Calculation Results area They also appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View 5 Click Close to close the PCB Transmission Line Calculator Embedded Microstrip Equations The equations used to perform the embedded microstrip calculations are ZO 56 In 5 98 H 0 8 W T sqrt Er 1 exp 1 55 H1 H Tpd 84 66667 sqrt Er 1 exp 1 55 H1 H CO Tpd ZO LO C0 Z0 ZO National Instruments Corporation 6 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 6 PCB Calculators Centered Stripline Trace Calculations NI Ultiboard User Manual Complete the following steps to perform centered stripline trace calculations 1 Select Tools gt PCB Transmission Line Calculator 2 Select Centered Stripline in the Type drop down list 3 In the Input Data area edit the following fields as desired Input Length Unit Select mils or millimeters Dielectric Thickness H Refer to the figure below e Trace Thickness T Refer to the
103. ark green there may be no board outline defined The bright green indicator 2 shows that the part has been placed within the board outline The orange indicator 3 shows that the part has been locked in place 4 2 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts The selected part 4 appears in the preview area 5 Deselect the Show or Hide Preview button 6 if you do not wish to see the preview Use the Start Placing the Unpositioned Parts button 7 to place unplaced parts Use the Lock Selected Parts button 8 if you do not want a part to be moved Use the Find and Select Part button 9 to quickly locate a part on the design 3 Note Refer to the Spreadsheet View section of Chapter 1 User Interface for information about the other buttons in the Spreadsheet View Using the Parts Tab to Place Parts Complete the following steps to place a single part on the board 1 Click and drag the part from the list to the design The selected part is attached to the pointer as you move it over the board 2 Release the mouse button to drop the part onto the board The part can then be adjusted or moved further into position as needed Refer to the Tools to Assist Part Placement section for more information about moving parts and adjusting their placement Complete the following steps to place a series of parts on the board using the Parts Sequencer 1 Click an unplaced part in the list a part with a dark green button The Start P
104. at you drew by dragging and releasing the right mouse button Select objects on active Selects only those objects in the rectangle that you drew by layer dragging and releasing the right mouse button that are on the active layer as defined in the Layers tab of the Design Toolbox Select objects on specified Displays the Select layer s dialog box layers Complete the following steps to select the layers on which you wish to select the objects 1 Highlight the desired layers in the Select layer s dialog box and click OK 2 All items that are on the selected layers that appear within the rectangle that you drew by dragging the right mouse button are selected Place Trace Menu If you click the right mouse button when you are placing a trace a context sensitive menu displays with the following options Command Description Cancel Cancels the placement of the trace segment being drawn Widen Widens the trace that you are drawing Should be within Minimum Width when set Narrow Narrows the trace that you are drawing Should be within Minimum Width when set NI Ultiboard User Manual A 20 ni com Archiving Data National Instruments recommends that you regularly back up the files created within the Multisim and Ultiboard components of NI Circuit Design Suite Additionally you should back up internal files that store user created data such as database components This
105. ate around the workspace To magnify a specific area on the design drag a rectangle around the desired area on the Birds Eye View The rectangle snaps to the same ratio as the design space Note All layers appear in the Birds Eye View whether or not they have been disabled in the Layers tab of the Design Toolbox In the example in the figure below the green rectangle that was drawn encloses the four ICs in the middle of the Birds Eye View and the design has magnified to display only the items that are selected within this rectangle BE D s51 amp as2 ass F css J as4 To move the rectangle hold down the right mouse button anywhere over the Birds Eye View and drag the rectangle to the desired location Y Tip You cannot resize the selection rectangle in the Birds Eye View Instead you must draw another rectangle of the required size When you do this the original rectangle disappears NI Ultiboard User Manual ni com Spreadsheet View Chapter 1 User Interface The Spreadsheet View allows fast advanced viewing and editing of parameters including part details such as footprints Reference Designators attributes and design constraints By default the Spreadsheet View does not appear until you have opened H a project To toggle the Spreadsheet View on and off select View Spreadsheet View The following buttons are available in the Spreadsheet View ay Note The buttons do not
106. awn It also contains buttons for functions that control the appearance of lines and shapes drawn on any layer except a copper layer The Draw Settings toolbar elements are explained below Button Description Copper Top a Selects the layer for the line or object being drawn A Sets the thickness and unit of measure of the line being drawn or of an object s border The maximum number of values that can be stored here are set in the Line Width Cache Size field of the General tab of the Preferences dialog box re Fill Color button Sets the color of the layer s fill y Fill Style button Sets the fill style either transparent or solid Line Color button Sets the color of the layer s line r m Line Type button Sets the lines style for example solid dashed National Instruments Corporation 1 7 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 Edit Toolbar Align Toolbar NI Ultiboard User Manual User Interface The Edit toolbar contains the functions used for editing specific elements including in place editing and orientation The Edit toolbar buttons are explained in the table below Button Description i Toggle In Place PCB Part Edit button Activates In Place Edit for placed PCB parts Refer to the Editing a Placed Part In Place Edit section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Toggle In Place
107. between net and shield in the Gap box 3 Note The Preview changes as parameters are adjusted 4 Click Advanced to display the Advanced Net Shielding Options dialog box NI Ultiboard User Manual 5 28 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper 5 Select the net to use for the shield in the Shield net area e Use Net Settings Select to use the shield set in the Spreadsheet View also set in the Net edit dialog box e GND Select to activate the drop down list where you can pick the net to use for the shield 6 Inthe On DRC Error area select the action to take when a DRC error occurs 7 Inthe On Other Failures area select the action to take when other errors occur 8 In the Nets area select the nets you wish to shield 9 In the Layers area select the layers on which you wish to place the shielding 10 Click OK You are returned to the Net Shielding dialog box 11 Click OK The shielding appears as illustrated below Net before shielding added oN Ka o Net after shielding added 12 Results appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View You may click on an error to go to the problem area National Instruments Corporation 5 29 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Net Bridges NI Ultiboard User Manual The net bridge functionality permits connections between different nets for example digital and analog grounds without losing the properties of
108. bmitted online receives an answer Standard Service Program Membership this program entitles members to direct access to NI Applications Engineers via phone and email for one to one technical support as well as exclusive access to on demand training modules via the Services Resource Center NI offers complementary membership for a full year after purchase after which you may renew to continue your benefits For information about other technical support options in your area visit ni com services or contact your local office at ni com contact Training and Certification Visit ni com training for self paced training eLearning virtual classrooms interactive CDs and Certification program information You also can register for instructor led hands on courses at locations around the world System Integration If you have time constraints limited in house technical resources or other project challenges National Instruments Alliance Partner members can help To learn more call your local NI office or visit ni com alliance C 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Appendix C Technical Support and Professional Services If you searched ni com and could not find the answers you need contact your local office or NI corporate headquarters Phone numbers for our worldwide offices are listed at the front of this manual You also can visit the Worldwide Offices section of ni com niglobal to access the branch office Web sites which provide u
109. board User Manual represent may differ 4 22 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Choose the following commands to place shapes and graphics Button Command Description Place Line Place Shape Ellipse Left click two points to draw a line between them Continue clicking to draw another segment of the same line or right click to stop Left click two points that define the ellipse s focuses then move the pointer to define the ellipse s size Place Shape Rounded Rectangle Place Shape Circle Left click to define the opposite corners of the rectangle then move the pointer towards the middle of the rectangle to define the roundness of the corners Left click two points that define the circle s diameter PS S BS SS ss Place Shape Pie Left click to define two points that define the diameter of the pie then move the pointer back and forth to define whether the shape looks like a single slice of pie or like a pie with a slice missing Place Shape Rectangle Left click to define the opposite corners of the rectangle Place Shape Polygon Left click all points that are to define the polygon ending with the starting point Place Graphics Line Left click two points to draw a line between them Continue clicking to draw another segment of the same line or right click to stop Place Graphics Arc Left click two points to draw an arc between them
110. cating how many parts are still unplaced in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View National Instruments Corporation 7 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement The autoplacer places parts as clusters These clusters are generated by grouping a multi pin part with a series of connected parts each of which has fewer than four pins Each cluster is then assigned a placement priority By arranging parts into clusters the autoplacer can place together those parts that have multiple connections Block capacitors which are connected to power signals are always excluded from clusters Ultiboard uses automatic block capacitor recognition to place block capacitors close to their corresponding ICs Running the Autoplacer To run the autoplacer select Autoroute Start Autoplacement To place only selected parts selected Autoroute Autoplace Selected Parts To view the results of any autoplacement select the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View Refer to the Controlling the Autoplacer section for information about autoplaced parameters Controlling the Autoplacer NI Ultiboard User Manual The autoplacer is controlled from the Autoplace tab of the Routing Options dialog box Complete the following steps to enter autoplacer settings 1 Select Autoroute Autoroute place Options 2 Click on the Autoplace tab of the Routing Options dialog box 3 In the Retries area e Number of Retries Enter a number
111. ce for that trace You can also edit a trace s clearance from the General tab of its properties dialog box NI Ultiboard User Manual For information on any setting select it in the Group Settings list A description appears in the field at the bottom of the dialog You may need to make the dialog box larger to view some of the descriptions Do this by dragging the dialog s lower right corner 3 24 ni com Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Part Group Settings For part groups the following Group Settings are available e Group Name e Clearance Settings e Part Spacing Settings e Pin amp Gate Swapping Settings For information on any setting select it in the Group Settings list A description appears in the field at the bottom of the dialog You may need to make the dialog box larger to view some of the descriptions Do this by dragging the dialog s lower right corner Differential Pair Settings For differential pairs the following Group Settings are available e Length Constraints e Space Constraints For information on any setting select it in the Group Settings list A description appears in the field at the bottom of the dialog You may need to make the dialog box larger to view some of the descriptions Do this by dragging the dialog s lower right corner National Instruments Corporation 3 25 NI Ultiboard User Manual Working with Parts The following sections explain how to work with parts as you crea
112. ce takes to the next connection e Follow me router This method allows you to select the next pad or via to be connected by having Ultiboard follow your mouse movement as it places a trace Ultiboard routes the resulting trace around most obstacles e Connection Machine This method connects two pads or vias with a trace that is automatically routed around obstacles All methods of placing traces support the ratsnest selection method This method starts the trace when the ratsnest is selected and auto connects the trace to the nearest destination pad All methods except Connection Machine support continuous trace placement when a trace is placed between two pads the trace placement will continue from the last pad connected As you place a trace and before you click to place it you can always remove a segment by backing up over it Each time you click while placing a manual trace or each time a Connection Machine trace changes direction a separate segment of that trace is created When performing National Instruments Corporation 5 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper operations on traces be sure to select either the appropriate segment or if you wish the whole trace Clearance is the distance from the edge of the board and around pads and traces that is to be kept free of any other elements Trying to run a trace through a clearance or trying to place a part so that a pad is put wit
113. ces a line on the design or place a trace when used on a copper layer Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Place Arc button Places an arc on the design Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics of Chapter 4 Working with Parts section for more information Place Bezier button Places a bezier curve on the design Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Place Circle button Places a circle on the design Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Place Ellipse button Places an ellipse on the design Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Place Pie button Places a pie shape on the design Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information 1 10 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Button Description Place Rounded Rectangle button Places a rectangle with rounded corners Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Place Rectangle button Places a rectangle on the design Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information RS e Place Polygon button Places
114. ck Runs the design rules and netlist check utility Results are displayed in the DRC tab of the Spreadsheet View Refer to the Spreadsheet View DRC Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Depending on your settings in the PCB Design tab of the Preferences dialog box this utility may run automatically You can use this command to force a check of the board s integrity and may want to use it prior to saving or exporting the design Connectivity Check Runs a connectivity check on the design When this command is selected the Select a Net dialog box displays Select the net on which you wish to run the connectivity check and click OK Results are displayed in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View Refer to the Spreadsheet View Results Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Polygon Splitter Splits a copper area or powerplane Refer to the Splitting Copper section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Shape to Area Cuts out areas in a copper shape to avoid other elements within its area Refer to the Converting a Copper Shape to an Area section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Swap Pins Refer to the Swapping Pins section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for information Swap Gates Refer to the Swapping Gates RFE section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for informat
115. ck the Selected Part button to lock all selected unlocked parts or to unlock the selected locked parts Complete the following steps to find a part in the design 1 Click the part in the list 2 Click the Find and Select the Part button The view zooms in on the part which appears selected Complete the following steps to preview a part 1 Click the Preview button to toggle the Preview function on if required 2 Click the part in the list A picture of the part displays You can use the Parts tab to place parts that are not on the board but are listed in the Parts tab Parts listed on the tab are either placed on the board or have been imported but not yet placed within the board outline Parts that are listed in the Parts tab but are not on the board are indicated with a dim button while parts that have been placed on the board are indicated with a bright button Note Refer to the Spreadsheet View section of Chapter 1 User Interface for information NI Ultiboard User Manual about the other buttons in the Spreadsheet View 4 4 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Tools to Assist Part Placement ug The following sections tell you how to use the tools that Ultiboard provides to help you place parts and other elements on the design Working with Ratsnests A ratsnest is a straight line connection between pads indicating their connectivity The ratsnest identifies the pads which should be connected according to th
116. click Apply To apply your changes and close the dialog box click OK Renumbering results appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View Backannotation to Multisim Backannotation is a highly automated process which ensures that modifications made to an Ultiboard design are transferred to the board s schematic in Multisim This process helps keep your schematics and board layouts consistent with one another Backannotation is an important feature of CAD software Part renaming or removing cause inconsistencies between the schematic and the PCB design Backannotation can overcome these inconsistencies To backannotate Multisim reads the log file in which Ultiboard reports all the changes that are made to a PCB The log file has the same name as the project but with the extension 1log Not all changes that are made to the PCB can be backannotated to Multisim The following changes can be backannotated e part removing e part renaming e netlist renaming National Instruments Corporation 8 7 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly Complete the following steps to backannotate your revisions 1 Save and close your design in Ultiboard 2 Open Multisim 3 Follow the Back Annotation procedure documented in the Multisim User Manual Mitering Corners NI Ultiboard User Manual Corner mitering is used to reduce or remove sharp angles for placed traces by creating 135 angles in th
117. close to connected to Unused Pin Copper The given pin that was not assigned to a net is close to or connected to another unused pin or copper for example a trace powerplane or copper area Design Rule Error Net Net1 name connected to Net2 name Unused pin copper Board outline The given net was connected to another net an unused pin copper or the board outline Design Rule Error Net Gnd Close to Net Net name RefID PIN netname The given net was too close to another net You can set up whether the design rule check runs in real time and define the actions to be taken when Ultiboard encounters a design rule error such as cancelling the current action asking for confirmation or overruling the error Refer to the PCB Design Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Working with the Group Editor The Edit Groups dialog box is where you create and edit net groups part groups bus groups and differential pairs Refer to the following sections for more information Add Group Dialog Box Add Group Dialog Box Working with Net Groups Working with Part Groups Working with Bus Groups Working with Differential Pairs Use the Add group dialog box to create groups in the Edit Groups dialog box Refer to the following subjects for more information National Instruments Corporation Working with Net Groups Working with Part Groups Working with Bus Groups Working with Differen
118. controlled through the PCB Properties dialog box including the number of layers design rules and grid settings These settings are saved with the design and will be in effect when the design is reopened Do one of the following to display the PCB Properties dialog box for the board e With nothing selected on the board right click on an empty portion of the board and choose Properties from the context menu that appears e Click on an empty portion of the board and choose Edit Properties e Double click on an empty portion of the board All properties dialog boxes for all design elements have an Attributes tab although a design s PCB typically does not have any attributes Refer to the Attributes section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for information about adding attributes Use the Grid amp Units tab of the PCB Properties dialog box to control Ultiboard grids and set the unit of measurement for your design Complete the following steps to set up the grid properties 1 Choose the default units of measure from the Design Units list 2 Inthe Grid area set the following elements as desired e Grid Type Select Standard Grid for a rectangular grid or Polar Grid for a circular grid e Visible grid style This is where you set the style for the Visible Grid The Visible Grid provides a visual reference for you to visually align parts and traces e Visible grid This is the distance between the grid s elements dots l
119. coven a e EEA EE E E ET 1 2 View Toolbar e ttt dia A A AS 1 3 Maim Toolbar eneen u eE nA e EEO e E AN 1 4 Select Toolbar cerren iri e E A T O a ate eed 1 6 Draw Settings Toolbar nooiens ds Suet K EER EEEE ER 1 7 Edit Toolbar a aan A E eee S aig 1 8 Alin Toolbars ur ra a e a a a a e a aei 1 8 Place Toolbars cents sieves N A N N erie 1 10 Wizard LOOl Dats sictsaccres dvcrevoseoessosstatis deteeitechoestuteeesstoresevcs eaviusucesnatarneenecenes 1 13 Autoroute Toolbar sreca a a a eai RAE REEE R EEES 1 13 LOCKING e10 101 KAETI N EEEE E EEA 1 14 Toolbar Behavior When Ultiboard Size is Reduced ssoseeseeseeseeeeeeeeeseeseeee 1 14 Settna PLELETENCES e rrrsiin a ea e ces sah EE A R R E dees E E 1 15 General Tab me a a a e eh die Gia R 1 15 Paths Tabet coset doa casts eterna eane A EE ET A ARE 1 16 Colors Tab na E E RE wat a eed eA ees 1 17 PCB Desist Tab i seeesetes inean E evident east toast A 1 17 Dimensions Fab i2 sisssces da E aE E a E hows cached 1 20 SD Options Tabo dernu veces eE REE E EEEE E E E ERA 1 21 Setting PCB Properties adamin ed Ain a EE E T E SS 1 22 Atouts Ladismith T E E E TER 1 22 Grid amp Units Tabi senresar nn a a ag ed aAA 1 22 Copper Layers Tabu dieper oui e EEEE E E EEA RR 1 23 Pads V ias Tabria ise eta Rese eects ea eae aes 1 24 General ayers Tab tov sch sess coceeth scaied oirein d aE EA EEEE TRAA 1 26 Design Rules Tab 2 oi oE a E RA 1 27 Setting Favorite Layers oi sereus ii AEE Ra E RR 1 28 Desi
120. ct View Refresh from the 3D view To reflect any changes to the design you must close and then re open the 3D view 3 Note Ifyou loaded a file from Ultiboard 2001 before you can use the 3D view you must use Tools Update Shapes The 3D appearance of individual parts is controlled by the 3D properties of those parts Refer to the Viewing and Editing Part Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Manipulating the 3D View When you choose Tools View 3D the view appears so that you are looking at a three dimensional rendition of the top of the board on an angle You can manipulate this view to show you all points on the board top and bottom at any angle you choose You manipulate the 3D view with the mouse pointer which represents your viewing position and the light source that illuminates the part You can click and drag the mouse to rotate the board and you can change the angle at which it displays allowing you to flip it over to see the bottom The view rotates around the center of the board When you let go of the mouse button the board stays in its most recent view NI Ultiboard User Manual 9 2 ni com Chapter 9 Viewing Designs in 3D Complete the following steps to manipulate the 3D view 1 Select Tools View 3D Position 2 Click and hold the mouse button down on the board in the 3D view 3 Continue holding the button and move the pointer as follows e To the bottom of the screen to view m
121. ct mils or millimeters Dielectric Height H1 Refer to the figure below Dielectric Thickness H Refer to the figure below Trace Thickness T Refer to the figure below Trace Width W Refer to the figure below Trace Spacing S Refer to the figure below Relative Permittivity epsilon r Refer to the figure below If you wish to define the Characteristic Impedance Zo yourself click User Defined Zo and edit the following fields as desired National Instruments Corporation Input Length Unit Select mils or millimeters Dielectric Thickness H Refer to the figure below Trace Spacing S Refer to the figure below Characteristic Impedance Zo Refer to the figure below 6 9 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 6 PCB Calculators _ _e Where 0 1 lt WH lt 3 H1 gt 12H 1 lt amp lt 15 4 Click Calculate Results of the calculation appear in the Calculation Results area They also appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View B Note If you chose User Defined Zo in the previous step the Per Length Unit and the Differential Impedance are the only values that appear in the Calculation Results area of the PCB Differential Impedance Calculator dialog and the Results tab when you click Calculate 5 Click Close to close the PCB Differential Impedance Calculator Embedded Microstrip Differential Impedance Equations The equations used to perform the embedded microstrip differen
122. ction of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Place Line button Places a straight line on the design or places a trace if the active layer is a copper one i Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of sE Chapter 4 Working with Parts and the Placing a Trace Manual Method section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Follow me button Places a follow me trace Refer to the Placing a Trace Follow me Method section of ae Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual 1 4 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Button Description Place Via button Places a via on the design Refer to the Y Working with Vias section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Place Copper Area button Places a copper area on the aff design Create Power Plane button Places a powerplane on the Ef design Refer to the Placing Powerplanes section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Design Rule Check button Runs the Design Rule Check and places results in the Results tab Place Text button Places text on the design Refer to the A Placing and Editing Text section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information Show 3D button Displays the current design in three he dimensions Refer to the section of Chapter 9 Viewing
123. d click Open You are returned to the Database Merge dialog box Select the Target Database This is the database into which you will merge the parts from your Source Database e Corporate Database Parts from the source database will be merged into the Corporate Database e User Database Parts from the source database will be merged into the User Database 4 48 ni com Converting Databases Chapter 4 Working with Parts Click Start A dialog box displays with the following options e Auto Rename Parts will be saved with modified names in the new database e Overwrite Parts will overwrite new parts with the same name e Ignore Parts with the same name will nobe be merged Select the desired option and click OK The parts from the source database are merged into the target database based on the option selected above Click Close to close the Database Merge dialog box If you are a user of a V8 or V9 version of Ultiboard your User Database and Corporate Database must be converted to Ultiboard 10 format if you wish to use their components in Ultiboard Note The option to convert the Ultiboard Master database is not available as a new Ultiboard Master database is loaded when you install Ultiboard Complete the following steps to update your databases to Ultiboard 10 format 1 National Instruments Corporation Select Tools Database Convert Database The Convert Database dialog box appears with Convert
124. d Position These are where you set how the text appears in relation to the arrow e Orientation This is where you select the angle at which the dimension displays The results of your choices are previewed on the tab 4 To apply your changes without closing the dialog box click Apply Existing dimensions are not affected To apply your changes and close the dialog box click OK 3D Options Tab Complete the following steps to set 3D viewer options 1 Choose Options Global Preferences and select the 3D Options tab T 2 To change the background color in the 3D viewer click the Background color button The Color dialog box appears Select the desired color and click OK in the Color dialog box 4 Optionally enable the Show Copper and Silkscreen while moving checkbox 5 Set the Internal View Options as desired ag Tip The more space that you set between the layers the easier they will be to view when you zoom in on the PCB in the 3D mode Refer to the nternal View section of Chapter 9 Viewing Designs in 3D for more information 6 To apply your changes but leave the Preferences dialog box open click Apply To apply your changes and close the Preferences dialog box click OK National Instruments Corporation 1 21 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Setting PCB Properties Attributes Tab Grid amp Units Tab NI Ultiboard User Manual Many characteristics of your PCB design are
125. d Stripline Trace Calculations Asymmetric Stripline Trace Calculations Dual Stripline Trace Calculations Microstrip Trace Calculations Complete the following steps to perform microstrip trace calculations NI Ultiboard User Manual 1 2 3 Select Tools PCB Transmission Line Calculator Select Microstrip in the Type drop down list In the Input Data area edit the following fields as desired Input Length Unit Select mils or millimeters Dielectric Thickness H Refer to the figure below Trace Thickness T Refer to the figure below e Trace Width W Refer to the figure below e Relative Permittivity epsilon r Refer to the figure below W Tr ae Where 0 1 lt WH lt 3 1 lt amp lt i Click Calculate Results of the calculation appear in the Calculation Results area They also appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View Click Close to close the PCB Transmission Line Calculator Microstrip Equations The equations used to perform the microstrip calculations are ZO 87 sqrt Er 1 41 In 5 98 H 0 8 W T Tpd 58 35247 sqrt Er 1 41 CO Tpd Z0 LO C0 Z0 Z0 6 2 ni com Chapter 6 PCB Calculators Embedded Microstrip Trace Calculations Complete the following steps to perform embedded microstrip trace calculations 1 Select Tools gt PCB Transmission Line Calculator 2 Select Embedded Microstrip in the Type drop down list 3 Inthe Input Data
126. d User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Button Description Place a Horizontal Dimension button Places a horizontally oriented dimension between two selected Ri points Refer to the Working with Dimensions section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Place a Vertical Dimension button Places a vertically oriented dimension between two selected points Refer to the Working with Dimensions section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information KS Place a Net Bridge button Places a net bridge connection Refer to the Net Bridges section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Place a Hole button Places a hole on your PCB Place a Via button Places a via on the design Refer to the Working with Vias section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for information x E B Place Pins button Places pins on the design when editing or creating a part in In place Edit mode or Footprint Edit mode Refer to the Editing a Placed Part In Place Edit and Using the Database Manager to Create a Part sections of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information C Polygon Splitter button Splits copper areas and ar powerplanes Refer to the Splitting Copper section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Remove Copper Islands button Removes copper islands Refer to the Placing Copper Areas section of x Chap
127. d configuration options for Ultiboard Refer to the Saving Technology Specifications from a Design section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information Load Technology Loads a technology file that contains the design rules and configuration options for Ultiboard Refer to the Loading Technology Files section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information Print Setup Sets up the printing paramaters required to print the Ultiboard design file Refer to the Printing your Design section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information This is found in the 3D view only Print Preview Previews the design file before printing Refer to the Printing your Design section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information This is found in the 3D view only Print Prints the Ultiboard design file Refer to the Printing your Design section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information Recent Designs Displays a list of the most recently opened projects Click on the desired item in the list to open it Exit Exits Ultiboard You are prompted to save any unsaved design files and or projects NI Ultiboard User Manual A 2 ni com Appendix A Menus and Commands Edit Menu The following table describes the commands found in the Edit menu Command Description Undo Undoes your most recent action for example undoes th
128. d in step 3 of the wizard some settings may not be available National Instruments Corporation Make the desired Package Dimension settings and click Next to display step 4 of the wizard The following 3D settings appear Shininess Use the slider to adjust the shininess of the part when seen in the 3D view Colors Click on the button beside each of the following parameters and select the desired color Background Light Direct Light Reflection Light Emit Light 4 39 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts 6 Make the desired 3D settings and click Next to display step 5 of the wizard The options available will depend on whether you selected THT or SMT in step 1 of the wizard If you chose THT the following options appear Units tThe unit of measure for the settings Drill Hole Diameter Diameter of the through hole pin s drill hole This is displayed in the lower right preview dimension D Shape area Use to set the shape for the Top Bottom and Inner sections of each pad For each of these sections of the pad you can choose individual shapes Round Square Rounded Square Custom As you make your selections they are reflected in the lower right preview area which displays the currently active settings If you choose Custom the Get a Part from the Database dialog box appears where you can select any previously created pad shapes Refer to the Using the Database Manager to C
129. ding on your setting in the PCB Design tab of the Preferences dialog box vias associated with a trace will be deleted when that trace is deleted National Instruments Corporation 5 9 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper a x To delete a trace that you have just placed choose Edit Undo Place Trace Segment Complete the following steps to delete an existing trace 1 2 1 2 Select the trace Choose Edit Delete Or Select the trace Press the lt Delete gt key Working with Other Copper Elements Placing Copper Areas NI Ultiboard User Manual This section contains the following subjects Placing Copper Areas Placing Powerplanes Splitting Copper Converting a Copper Shape to an Area Deleting All Copper Adding and Removing Teardrops Use the Place Copper Area command to define copper polygons Complete the following steps to place a copper area 1 2 4 Choose a copper layer Choose Place Copper Area The pointer has a polygon shape attached Left click all points that are to define the copper area ending with the starting point Optionally right click to cancel the Place command Complete the following steps to delete a copper area 1 2 Choose Edit Copper Delete Copper Island Click on the copper area you want to delete 5 10 ni com Placing Powerplanes Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Powerplanes are copper areas
130. diting SMT Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Neck Max The maximum permitted length of the neck where the trace attaches to the pin as set in the SMT Pin Properties dialog box You can also enter the value here Refer to the Viewing and Editing SMT Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Neck Min The minimum permitted length of the neck where the trace attaches to the pin as set in the SMT Pin Properties dialog box You can also enter the value here Refer to the Viewing and Editing SMT Pin Properties of Chapter 4 Working with Parts section for more information Min Width The minimum permitted trace width Spreadsheet View THT Pads Tab Use the THT Pads tab to work with pad information for through hole technology devices Column Description Pad Name The unique identifier for the pad by RefDes and Pin Number For example U1 P1 is pin number one of the part with RefDes U1 Top Pad The shape of the top layer pad as set in the Through Shape Hole Pin Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Through Hole Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual 1 42 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Column Description Inner Pad The shape of the inner layer pad as set in the Through Shape Hole Pin Properties dialog box Refer to t
131. ditor of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design section for more information National Instruments Corporation 1 37 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface NI Ultiboard User Manual Column Description Min Width The minimum width to which a trace will be laid during routing You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design section for more information Topology The topology of the net as set in the Netlist Editor Choices are Shortest Daisy Chain and Star Refer to the Using the Netlist Editor section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information This feature is not available in all versions of Ultiboard Trace Length Length of the routed net Max Length Maximum allowable length of copper in a net Not applicable N A if Topology is set to Shortest Min Length MInimum allowable length of copper in a net Not applicable N A if Topology is set to Shortest Trace Clearance This is the minimum spacing allowed between the parts in the group and any trace You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Routing Layers The routing layers assigned to this net group Click to display the Layers to Apply dialog box where you set the layers to use for
132. e For example a 50 mil drill hole radius of 25 mils with a relative value of 6 60 will create an annular ring of 15 mils 60 of 25 mils When using relative settings it is important to choose minimum and maximum values to ensure that the annular ring will never go beyond those bounds Complete the following to enter an annular ring setting 1 Click the button beside the desired field Top Inner or Bottom in the Pad Vias tab The Through Hole Pad Properties dialog box appears Choose Fixed and enter the fixed value Or Choose Relative and enter the relative setting Be sure to choose Min and Max values Complete the following to apply the design rules to a footprint Select the footprint and choose Edit In Place Part Edit Select the pads to which the rule should apply 3 Right click and from the context menu choose Properties 4 On the Pad tab of the properties dialog box enable Use Design Rules Vias The Vias setting sets the default Drill Diameter and Pad Diameter to be used when a via is placed during trace placement This setting also applies to vias that have already been placed in the design Microvias The Micro Vias area is where you set the default via dimensions to be used when a microvia is placed during trace placement This setting will also apply to microvias that have already been placed in the design National Instruments Corporation 1 25 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interf
133. e element appears in the Color element list and you can choose a color for the element e Optionally enable the Preview grayed out checkbox to switch the preview visibility on or off and adjust and select the Grayed out factor Your changes are reflected in the Preview area 3 To apply your changes but leave the Preferences dialog box open click Apply To apply your changes and close the Preferences dialog box click OK PCB Design Tab Use the PCB Design tab of the Preferences dialog box to define a variety of actions associated with the overall PCB design Complete the following steps to define the default actions 1 Choose Options Global Preferences The Preferences dialog box appears 2 Select the PCB Design tab a National Instruments Corporation 1 17 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface NI Ultiboard User Manual Select the unit of measurement from the Units drop down list Set the viewing options in the View area e Show pin 1 mark Select to display pin 1 of a device with a unique marking e Show Copper Areas Select to display copper areas This applies to copper areas only not regular polygon shapes on non copper layers e Show pin info in pin Select to display the pin number and hole size when zoomed in In the On select entire trace area e Select across layers Select so that when you choose Edit Select Entire Trace the trace will be selected across all layers
134. e Check A normal via that connects all layers top bottom and inner A line that indicates the optimal location for a part considering all the connections of the part to achieve the shortest possible connections Determines the increments by which traces can be placed on the board Controls the increments by which the cursor moves and where items are placed A network of traces to which you can add pins and copper areas Contains connectivity information about pins and parts Any via that connects all layers top bottom and internal G 2 ni com 0 Output Window P Pad Stack Part Grid Prepreg R Ratsnest RefDes Reference Point S SMD Pad Status Bar National Instruments Corporation G 3 Glossary Gives you useful information on the status of your design By default is turned off The connections between layers of the board Determines the increments by which elements parts and shapes can be placed on the board Prepreg is fiber glass that is pre impregnated with resin to make it semi rigid Prepreg sheets can then be placed between the copper foil and heated under pressure to activate and set the resin Visual display showing linear connections between pins using the shortest possible line A guide for pin connections not a realistic representation of the board Reference designator the unique name given to a net The point from which coordinates are calculated in normal m
135. e Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Show preview button Toggles the Spreadsheet View s Preview function on and off Refer to the Using the Parts Tab for Other Functions section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Note You can also access the above commands from a pop up menu by right clicking in the Spreadsheet View Spreadsheet View DRC Tab NI Ultiboard User Manual The DRC tab displays errors for example Design Rule Errors and warnings as they occur while you work Errors are labeled with red triangles and warnings are labeled with yellow circles as shown in the example in the figure below Double click on an error or warning to go to its location on the workspace lt ai The object Trace Width 1000000 nm Layer Copper Top Clearancef1 nm Net 9 I The parts U1 and J2 are too close to or overlapping each other x Design Rule Error Net 18 Connected To Net 15 x Design Rule Error Net 18 Connected To Net 15 x Design Rule Error Net 18 Connected To Net 15 Results prc Parts Part Groups Nets Net Groups SMT Pads THT Pads 1 32 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface When you right click on an item in the DRC tab a pop up menu displays with the following available selections Copy Copies all items in the DRC tab and places them on the clipboard Go to Error Tag Click to go to the highlighted error or warning on th
136. e design Complete the following to clean up the design removing any extraneous images that should not be there 1 Choose View Redraw Screen Or Click Redraw in the View toolbar or press lt F5 gt Complete the following to change your cursor to include a tool tip label that contains object information 1 Hold down the lt ctr1 gt key as you move your mouse over the workspace The information in the label changes depending on the object over which it hovers 2 16 ni com Setting Up a Design The following sections explain the basic functions you must perform to get your board set up These tasks should be performed before you begin placing parts and or traces Some of the described features may not be available in your edition of Ultiboard Refer to the NJ Circuit Design Suite Release Notes for a list of the features in your edition Working with Layers The following are discussed in this section e Defining Copper Layers e Accessing Layers Defining Copper Layers Ultiboard lets you define boards from 2 to 64 layers thick Your initial design decisions are important because it is difficult to change the design for example from a 6 layer design with blind and buried vias to a normal feed through design after the board has been completed Your decisions are also important in terms of manufacturing cost A 6 layer board with blind and buried vias will cost significantly more to manufacture than a 4 layer board
137. e export setting 3 Note When exporting an IPC D 356A netlist there are no user settable properties 4 National Instruments Corporation Select the type of export from the list Click Export A dialog box opens where you can define the export file s name and path If you are exporting more than one file you must define the name and path of each file Select the path that defines the export file s location and type the file s name Click Save The file has been exported 8 15 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly Printing your Design Complete the following steps to print a design file 1 2 8 Choose File Print The Print dialog box appears Choose from the list of available printers and if necessary set the printer s properties appropriately To print a negative image enable the Print Negative Image option To print the reflection mirror image enable the Print Reflection option To leave drill holes open enable the Leave Drill Holes Open option Select the layers you want to print in the Available layers list and click the arrow to move them to the Layers to print list For each layer you choose to print you can enable or disable the Outline option to specify whether or not to include the board outline with the layer Once you have more than one layer selected you can choose to print layers on separate sheets You can also choose to print a head
138. e in the Net edit dialog box You are prompted for the new net name Type a name for the net 4 Click OK to save the new name The new net name appears in the Net drop down list in the Net edit dialog box and in the Nets tab in the Spreadsheet View Deleting a Net Complete the following steps to delete a net 1 Select Tools Netlist Editor and click Delete in the Net edit dialog box The Select the net to delete dialog box appears 2 Select the net to be deleted 3 Click Delete to delete the net The Select the net to delete dialog box closes and the net no longer appears in the Net drop down list of the Net edit dialog box or the Nets tab in the Spreadsheet View The net is also removed from the board but while the net disappears the traces stay on the board ay Note There is no deletion confirmation To cancel the deletion before you click Delete click Close National Instruments Corporation 5 25 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Deleting a Pin from a Net Complete the following steps to delete a pin from a net 1 Select Tools Netlist Editor click the Pins tab and select the desired net from the Net drop down list in the Net edit dialog box 2 Highlight the pin you wish to delete in the list in the Pins tab and click Remove The pin disappears from the list of pins for the net displayed nye Note There is no deletion confirmation 3 Click OK to close the Net edit dialog box
139. e last part move The command name changes to reflect what will be undone Redo Redoes your most recent undo action The command name changes to reflect what will be redone Cut Removes the selected element s from the design The element is placed on the Windows Clipboard and can be pasted again Copy Copies the selected elements and stores them on the Windows Clipboard so they can be pasted again Paste Pastes the item on the Windows Clipboard to its original layer regardless of what layer is currently active Creates new duplicate object s without the netlist information New parts will have Reference Designators that increment from the next available for that part type For example if the last resistor was R34 and a resistor is pasted its Reference Designator will be R35 Paste Special Paste with Pastes the item on the Windows Clipboard into the design with the Net same connectivity as the source New parts will have Reference Designators that increment from the next available for that part type For example if the last resistor was R34 and a resistor is pasted its Reference Designator will be R35 Paste Special Paste to Pastes the item on the Windows Clipboard to the active layer Active Layer regardless of what layer it originally resided on Delete Deletes the selected design elements You are prompted to confirm the deletion Copper Delete All Copper Deletes all copper in the design inc
140. e made in the General Material Pins or Cylinder tab For slower computers disable the checkbox and click the Update button when you wish to refresh the preview To rotate the image in the Preview area hold down and drag the left mouse button General Tab Complete the following steps to specify the distance between the part and the board 1 In the Height field enter the distance to the top of the part from the surface of the board 2 Inthe Offset field enter the distance from the part underside to the board NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 18 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Complete the following steps to produce the 3D image by projecting the silkscreen information upwards according to the height and offset specified for the part 1 Enable the Use 2D Data to create 3D shape option 2 Choose the type of object to be created e for a hole enable the Hole option the hole extends from the Offset to the Height If you want to make the selected part a hole in the 3D view the part must be completely enclosed for example a circle or rectangle and be contained within another larger object For example this could be used to create a notch or dimple in a DIP dual in line package These settings should be applied by first editing the part using either In place Edit or the Database Manager and choosing the object to which the settings apply e fora sphere enable the Create Sphere option and enter a value in the Radius
141. e mouse again to place it Graphic Text Places text on the design Useful for annotation purposes Refer to the Placing and Editing Text section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information Copper Area Defines a copper area polygon Refer to the Placing Copper Areas section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Powerplane Defines layers as Power Ground planes or to clear layers that were previously defined as Power Ground planes Refer to the Placing Powerplanes section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Bus Connects multiple traces between multi pinned devices such as ICs Refer to the Placing a Bus section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual A 10 ni com Appendix A Command Description Keep in Keep out Area Defines a polygon to restrict elements from either exiting or entering the area Refer to the Working with Keep in Keep out Areas section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Group Array Box Places parts in a grid array Refer to the Placing a Group Array Box section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Pins Used during In Place Editing of a part to place a footprint Refer to the Editing a Placed Part In Place Edit section of Chapter 4 Working with Part
142. e netlist but which are not yet connected with traces Because these represent logical connections and not the physical copper connections referred to as traces in Ultiboard they are just straight line connections that can overlap parts and other ratsnest lines In Ultiboard ratsnests are represented by colored lines although they can be dimmed so that they appear gray They appear by default exist on their own layer and can be controlled through the Information section of the Layers tab in the Design Toolbox Refer to the Accessing Layers section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for information about dimming and hiding ratsnests in the Design Toolbox Tip You can also show or hide individual ratsnests from the Show Ratsnests column in the Nets tab of the Spreadsheet View and also from the Net Edit dialog box Refer to the Using the Netlist Editor section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more The figure below shows the ratsnests as they connect pads in a design without regard to running through parts oq Ne National Instruments Corporation 4 5 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Working with Force Vectors Force vectors are powerful aids that help you place parts on the PCB When you place a part manually on the board you should pay careful attention to the force vectors coming from that part They allow you to place the part as close as possible to ot
143. e part is in position click to drop it on the board 8 Optionally adjust or move the part further into position Refer to the Tools to Assist Part Placement section for more information Tip When you place parts from the database you must add them to the netlist Refer to the Using the Netlist Editor section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information National Instruments Corporation 4 29 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Editing Parts and Shapes Editing a Placed Part In Place Edit In place part editing lets you add delete or change a part and the items that make it up You can add delete or move pads change or move the lines that define a part or place new shapes or lines in the part Complete the following steps to use In Place Edit on a part i 1 Select the part and choose Edit In Place Part Edit An editing window opens showing the selected part The window also shows the surrounding area of the board and the other parts in a dimmed view which cannot be edited In the example shown below the selected part U2 is bright while the unselected parts are dimmed B Note Refer to the Colors Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for information about changing the degree of dimming displayed on the parts that are not being edited 2 Edit the part using the Place and Draw tools Refer to the Toolbars section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more inf
144. e unique Click OK The Insert the selected Item s into the Database dialog box disappears but the Footprint edit mode screen stays visible The part can be now placed from the database Refer to the Placing Parts from the Database section for more information To return to the design screen click the design in the Projects tab of the Design Toolbox NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 42 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Managing the Database The Database Manager is where you add organize view create and manage the parts that Ultiboard stores in its database To open the Database Manager choose Tools Database Database F Manager There are three panels in the Database Manager The Database panel which lists the databases and their sub categories The Database panel contains the following buttons Refer to the Working with Database Categories section for more information Description New button Creates a new database category or sub category Add button Use to add parts to either the User or Corporate database Refer to the Adding Parts using the Database Manager section for more information Delete button Deletes a database category or sub category Rename button Renames a database category or sub category Copy button Copies a database category or sub category Move button Moves a database category or sub category National Instruments Corporation
145. e via Any via that connects all layers top bottom and internal e Micro via A via that is less than 5 mils in diameter that connects a maximum of two build up layers only The lamination sequence used determines the acceptable layer combinations for placing blind and buried vias or microvias For example if all layers are layered pairs then blind vias can only be placed between an outer layer and completely through a layered pair see diagram for an example Once the lamination sequence is determined Ultiboard calculates the acceptable layer combinations for blind and buried vias or micro vias You then choose which ones to use in your design from these possible combinations The figure below shows a cross section of a multi layer PCB E Normal through hole via E Blind vias FA Buried via The number of copper layers in a board can be set in either the Board Wizard or in the PCB Properties dialog box Refer to the Using the Board Wizard section and the Copper Layers Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information 3 2 ni com Accessing Layers National Instruments Corporation Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design The Layers tab of the Design Toolbox allows you to move through the layers of your PCB design and control their appearance To display the Layers tab click the Layers tab in the Design Toolbox The tab appears as shown in the figure below PCB MB Top Buildup 1 Copper Inner
146. e way to create enough available space for the part 3 Note Shoving does not work if there is any copper connected to the part a To toggle the shoving command on and off choose Design Part Shoving pea Complete the following steps to adjust the shove spacing around a part 1 Select the part 2 Choose Edit Properties The Part Properties dialog box for the part appears National Instruments Corporation 4 7 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts 3 Click the Part tab This tab allows you to adjust the distance of part shove spacing 4 Change the Part shove spacing as desired If you choose Use Design Rule Defaults the setting from the Design Rules tab of the PCB Properties dialog box is used 5 Inthe Clearances box set the following e To Trace Minimum allowable space between the part and traces Complete the following steps to enter swapping parameters for the selected part 1 In the Swapping box e Pin Select Yes No or Use Group Settings from the drop down list e Gate Select Internal Gates only to permit swapping of gates between gates within the same part No Swapping to prohibit gate swapping for this part Advanced Swapping to permit gate swapping between this part and another both parts must have Advanced Swapping selected Use Group Settings to use group swapping options To assist you in setting the shove spacing and clearances the Dimensions View Only area displays a p
147. e workspace Add to Filter Click to filter out the selected error warning type This type of error warning will no longer show in the DRC tab Remove all filters Click to remove all error warning types from the filter All errors and warnings will now show in the DRC tab Start Filter Manager Click to start the Filter Manager Refer to the Filter Manager section for more information Filter Manager Use the Filter Manager to filter desired errors amp warnings out of the DRC tab in the Spreadsheet View Complete the following steps to use the Filter Manager 1 National Instruments Corporation Right click in the DRC tab of the Spreadsheet View and select Start filter manager from the pop up that appears The Filter Manager dialog box appears with a list of errors and warnings that are filtered out of the DRC tab If this is the first time you are accessing this dialog box it will be empty Click Add Filter to display the Add Filter s dialog box 1 33 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Add Filter s all ll all ll all ll all ll all ll ll all ll Design Type All All All all All All All All all All All All All All Error Level Error Type Area Errors 4rea Errors 4rea Errors 4rea Errors 4rea Errors 4rea Errors 4rea Errors 4rea Errors 4rea Errors Errors Errors Errors Errors Errors Description Objects are crossing the edge of
148. ed part is to be kept 5 Click OK National Instruments Corporation 4 47 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts B Note Ifyou selected multiple parts you can save them to the database as one item When a part that has been saved to the database in this manner is placed on the workspace it will become separate items again including any parts and traces that were in the original selection Merging and Converting Databases You can merge parts from one database into another or convert parts that you created in your old User Database to Ultiboard 10 format Details follow Merging Databases You can merge parts from one database into another For example you may have created a number of parts on your home computer that you wish to merge into a part database on your office computer Complete the following steps to merge databases 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Select Tools Database Merge Database The Database Merge dialog box appears Click on Select a Component Database Name in the Source Database area The Select a Component Database Name dialog box displays Navigate to the location of the database that you wish to merge your source database and select the type of database that you wish to merge in the Files of type drop down list e User Usrcomp_s_ usr User database e Corporate Cpcomp_s prj Corporate database Highlight the source database file the one you wish to merge an
149. ed to modify the various context sensitive menus that appear when you right click from various locations in Ultiboard Complete the following steps to display the desired menu 1 Options Tab Select the desired menu set from the Select Context Menu drop down list Right click on the menu that appears and edit as desired Select the desired menu effects using the Menu animations drop down list and the Menu shadows checkbox Use the Options tab in the Customize dialog box to set up the appear of Ultiboard s toolbars switch the checkboxes on or off as desired Customization of Pop up Menus To customize the appearance of toolbar buttons and menu items a pop up menu is available when the Customize dialog box is open Complete the following steps to display the pop up l 2 National Instruments Corporation Be sure you have the Customize dialog box open Right click on either a menu item or toolbar and select the desired option When you select Button Appearance the Button Appearance dialog box appears where you can change the appearance of the selected toolbutton 1 51 NI Ultiboard User Manual Beginning a Design The following sections explain how to start a design in Ultiboard Some of the described features may not be available in your edition of Ultiboard Refer to the NJ Circuit Design Suite Release Notes for a list of the features in your edition About Designs and Projects Designs are st
150. eds 5 12 Adding and Removing Teardrops cc eceeceesesesceseeseeesecseeeseeseeeaeessceseeeeeaes 5 13 Viewing and Editing Copper Properties cece eeceeseeseeeeeseeeseeseeeaeeeenseeseensesseenaes 5 13 Working with Vilas i ssseeds hist nected ra eA a RS 5 15 Plaine V1aS issn Se Sosscctte te peutvcoes EE Sepa avons uevesaees dvevans pte ead ad aaeteessaettetes 5 15 Viewing and Editing Via Properties 0 0 0 eee eeeeseeeeeeseeseeeseeseeeseeasenseeseenaes 5 16 Placing SMD Fanouts amp ssc oversees a absense cos cest EEEIEE EEE EEE terest 5 18 Working with Nets t 5 0 8225s onli eta iiekictstierntn en ate pede eee 5 19 Using the Nets Tab ise cates th stn hi tasers eens Sates ened eee eases 5 19 Using the Nethst Edit r eren ncn h a aii ie Sie es eh i ae a aa 5 20 Addmg a Netse a re vse es rice ives tendeceves rie Seevessenen std 5 21 Ren nmins a Netiesos teien e a AE A S a 5 25 Deleting 2a Net ranne nter aaeoa e r aeea E a 5 25 Deleting a Pin from a Net sses ieis o ia i 5 26 Setting Net Widths ssecs csc cccesseptecuveareesuseveetusescvecstsacuedvestusdyscousteneect 5 26 Setting High Speed Parameters eee eeeeceeseeeeseeeeeeeeeseeneees 5 26 Setting Miscellaneous Net Parameters eee eee eseeeeeseeseeeeees 5 27 Setting Group Parameters eee tiha esiri eiiiai 5 27 Setting Via Parameters essesi deie eiie aoea E e R 5 28 Hishhghting a Net c ccscsscepsnces weed ecuvertepeeeds vutevevadvevturteedhevtepate teuteoneveestepeieds 5 28
151. eeeceesceseeseeeeseeeeseesecesecseeesecseeeaeeeenaes 7 7 Running the Autoroute ccc sccgees osseviuscectgousdvesstand cvantcas veges cvenyes cog cbcovveceseeceiss 7 7 InleracivityssSisictvied eels Blain Meni ates elite 7 8 AAUILOFOULING BUSES eeann adi Sean bees E ARO 7 8 Placing Automatic Test Points ec ceceeeeseeesereeeeseeseessecseseseeneenaeeeenaes 7 9 NI Ultiboard User Manual xiv ni com Contents Controlling the Routing Functions 20 00 eee eee eeeeseeeseeseceeeeseceeeesesseenseesees 7 10 Routing Options General Tab 00 eee eee eeeeseeeeceseeneeteetseeenersees 7 10 Routing Options Cost Factors Tabu eee eeeseeceesseeeeeseeeeeeeeeees 7 12 Routing Options Rip Up Tab eee ecceseesecesceseeneeeseeseeeseesees 7 14 Routing Options Optimization Tab eee eeeeeeeereteeeeereees 7 15 Routing Options Bus Autorouting Tab eee eeeereeees 7 15 Strategies to Achieve Better Routing Results 0 0 eee eeeeseeseeereeeeeeaeeee 7 16 Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly Placing and Editing Texten seniri cade ssthussest saves ie AT E 8 1 Capturing Screen Area ec gcc oaiet see Gepeet teen oat eae Hania ea tlds ete ae ot 8 2 Placing a Comment s cerch iets ese ieee taihnd ee eRe 8 3 Renumbering Parts seare e aa ein casey ieteyes avertophath estupnly error erseeneys 8 5 Backannotation to Multisim 0 eee cece ceeeeeeeneeeseeeaeeseceeeeaeeseeeaeceeeaeceeeaeseeeeaeeaaes 8 7 Mitering Comes ennn a E a EEE K E EAEE 8 8 Manually Re
152. eeeceheg ect coat at savages ia thet deaaet aceasta 5 1 Working with Traces iaic iieccocdesss Raeevtats eed ais Sits 2 ovate A ese oats eee ensee 5 2 Placing a Trace Manual Method o00 eee ec ceeecesseceseeeceeeeseeeseeseenseeseeeaeeaes 5 2 Placing a Trace Follow me Method 0 ccc eccesecsseeseceseeseeeseeeeeseensenseeaes 5 3 Placing a Trace Connection Machine Method 000 0 eee eseeeseeseeeeeeeees 5 4 Placing a BUS ies tose 6 vel ae ees seis een heen va deur ecuc sus R E EEEE tere testes 5 5 Working with Density Bars wo eee eeeeseeeecesecseeesecseceseceeeesesseesaeesseeseesseeas 5 6 Working with Keep in Keep out Areas eee ee eeeeseeseceeeseeeseeseeesseneeeaeeaes 5 7 Placing Keep in Keep out Areas o0 eee ec eeeeseeeeeeseeneeeeeeseeneeeseenees 5 7 Viewing and Editing Keep in Keep out Properties 0 0 0 5 7 Equ Spacing Traces ates Sativieiectahd dota ee LS 5 9 Deleting a Trace Losses da e ean uea e e e sth cette deed e a cuted 5 9 Working with Other Copper Elements 000 0 cies eee cceeseeeeeseeeseeseesseeseeeseeaeeeseeseeeaeeaes 5 10 Placing Copper Areas i sues se suriris sdeoecetesnecd e ERR EE AERE 5 10 Placing Powerplanes 2 cnisienudiaia hatipilaniandollnwih inane oie tne 5 11 Splitting Coppers iesiiecie epee phew teeeah Ghee estos eateel oben 5 11 Converting a Copper Shape to an Area eee eeeeeeseeseeeeceeeeseeeeeeseeneeeaees 5 12 Deletng All Copper crimon ie eet cucth E sR eveeviettves Ai deowtnin de eabeiee
153. eir place This is important for manufacturing purposes You can apply corner mitering to the entire design or just the currently selected traces Complete the following steps to miter the corners of traces prior to manufacturing 1 Optionally select the traces to which you want mitering to apply 2 Choose Design Corner Mitering The Corner Mitering dialog box appears 3 To apply the changes to just the selected traces enable the Current Selection option To apply the changes to the whole design enable the Whole Design option 4 To set a minimum length for the mitering enable the Minimum Length option and enter a length and units of measurement Any corner that is to be mitered will have two trace segments forming the corner The Minimum Length refers to the shortest length of a segment that should be mitered For example assume a corner is formed from a 6 mm segment and an 8 mm segment A minimum length setting greater than 2 mm will cause the trace to not be mitered The default is 0 that is all traces will be mitered regardless of the minimum length of any one segment 5 To set a maximum length for the mitering enable the Maximum Length option and enter a length and units of measurement The Maximum Length setting refers to the maximum length of the mitered segment The longest length of the mitered segment in the horizontal or vertical direction will not exceed the Maximum Length or one third of the shortest segment
154. ements vertically so their centers are aligned Align to Coordinate button Displays the Enter coordinate dialog box where you enter new coordinates for the selected element Space Across button Spaces three or more objects beside each other evenly Space Across Plus button Increases horizontal space between two or more objects Space Across Min button Decreases horizontal space between two or more objects Space Down button Spaces three or more objects above each other evenly Space Down Plus button Increases vertical space between two or more objects Space Down Min button Decreases vertical space between two or more objects National Instruments Corporation 1 9 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Place Toolbar NI Ultiboard User Manual The Place toolbar contains the functions used to place elements such as traces lines and polygons on the design The Place toolbar buttons are explained in the table below Button Description Place Comment button Places a comment on the design Refer to the Placing a Comment section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information Capture Area button Captures a section of the screen and places it on the system clipboard Select button De activates any selected mode for example for placing traces and allows you to select an element on the board Place Line button Pla
155. er at the top of each page containing the design name date and layer name Finally you can use the arrows to change the order in which layers will be printed When you have finished setting the print parameters click Print Complete the following steps to print a 3D image of your design 1 2 NI Ultiboard User Manual Select Tools View 3D The 3D view of the design appears Scale the image to the desired size and orientation For details refer to the Viewing Designs in 3D section of Chapter 9 Viewing Designs in 3D To set up the printing of the 3D image select File Print Setup To preview the printing of the 3D image select File Print Preview Select File Print and click OK 8 16 ni com Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly Previewing the Printed Design Complete the following steps to preview the way a design will look when printed 1 Choose File Print The Print dialog box appears caf 2 Click Preview At least one layer must be in the Layers to print column to enable the Preview button The Preview screen appears displaying an image of what the printed file will look like Tip A blank page in a preview dialog box usually indicates an empty layer is being 7 previewed If the preview displays a blank page go back and make sure that you are previewing a layer that has something on it National Instruments Corporation 8 17 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 8 Prepari
156. error is reported if an object is moved outside of a Keep in area e A DRC error is reported if an object is inside a Keep out area e If there are multipleKeep ins or Keep outs the objects may be divided amongst the different areas at your discretion Multiple areas then behave as a single disjointed area If any Advanced options are set e A DRC error is reported if an object is moved outside of a Keep in area e A DRC error is reported if an object is inside a Keep out area NI Ultiboard User Manual 5 8 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Equi Spacing Traces This option lets you set the spacing between traces to be equal Complete the following steps to equi space traces 1 Select two traces that surround at least one other trace as shown in the figure below 2 Select Tools Equi space Traces The spacing between the traces is made equal as shown in the example in the figure below 3 Note The selected traces must be between two objects that is two pins two traces initial spacing between traces must not be equal traces must belong to a net in the same layer Rubber banding does not work with this feature hence some traces may become disconnected Deleting a Trace Traces can be deleted like other objects When you delete a trace you are not asked to confirm the deletion but you can undo the deletion by choosing Edit Undo immediately after making the deletion 3 Note Depen
157. ertex Add Vertex A vertex is added in the middle of the segment You can now move that vertex to change the shape of the polygon Complete the following steps to remove a vertex 1 Click on the point to be removed 2 Choose Edit Vertex Remove Vertex The vertex is removed and the vertices on either side are joined by a straight line Complete the following to change the size of a design s vertices 1 Edit the Minimum control point size field in the General tab of the Preferences dialog box Refer to the General Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 32 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Viewing and Editing Through Hole Pin Properties Complete the following steps to edit through hole pin properties 1 Select the desired through hole pin and select Edit Properties The Through Hole Pin Properties dialog box appears consisiting of five tabs Attributes General Pad Layer Settings and Thermal Relief To edit a through hole pin s attributes use the Attributes tab Refer to the Attributes section for more information To edit a through hole pin s display style use the following in the General tab X The x axis coordinate Y tThe y axis coordinate Net The net this through hole pin is on read only Angle degrees The angle for the pin Board side Select the Top or Bottom radio button to set the side of the board on which the through h
158. es 3 9 Design Rule Errors s ics0 etait need Ait i aha E a isn ee e aa 3 10 Working with the Group Editor 0 eee eee ceceeseeseeeeceeeesecaeeseceeesaeenseeaeeneesaeenaeeaes 3 11 Add Group Dialog Box chk iain a aE E e 3 11 Working wA Net Groups riasso ieo A EEEE 3 12 Working with Part Groups e eesesesseeessesessesesresrestsrestsresterenrestnestnresreseesesteees 3 15 Working with Bus Groups secese eaeoe re edie a E E EEEE EE EEE 3 18 Working with Differential Pairs sssesseesssesesseseesssesrssrsresreresresesresresesseserees 3 21 Change Group Settings dialog bOX ssssseeeseseesesreresesesresrsresresrsresrsresrsereresese 3 24 Net Group Setting sicas neee adie a aie tine te 3 24 Part Group Set gs on us epee eire norais aeae aiiai E eies E 3 25 Differential Pair SetingSorocciniensnereiiiin a 3 25 Chapter 4 Working with Parts Placing Parts niin m a tE a E RA AA E A E teense euenees 4 1 Dragging Parts from Outside the Board Outline oe eects eee eeeees 4 1 Using the Parts Tab in the Spreadsheet View eee eeeeeesseeeeeseeseeeseeeees 4 2 Using the Parts Tab to Place Parts 0 0 0 eee eeeesseeeeeseeeeeeseeeseesees 4 3 Using the Parts Tab for Other Functions 000 eee eseereeeeeee 4 4 Tools to Assist Part Placement ccc eseeceesceseceecsseeseceeeesecneesseseseeaeeeseenees 4 5 Working with Ratsnests 0 cesses cseeeseeseeeseceeeeaeeneeesesneeeseenees 4 5 Working with Force Vectors eiceesseeeseesseeeesseesee
159. es that alternate between horizontal and vertical with each successive layer This setting greatly increases routing speed and completion rates and should not normally be changed The exception is if you have placed several powerplanes Because the router does not route traces on powerplane layers these layer biases may need to be adjusted to preserve this alternating pattern so that it skips over those powerplane layers 7 16 ni com Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement Try gridless routing The default setting for routing is grid based which is the fastest routing algorithm If this fails to achieve completion then next step should almost always be to try gridless routing Make sure there is no via grid The via grid increases routing speed by limiting the costly via placement calculations but it can decrease routing completion since vias may not be placed in crowded areas of the board Try auto adjust trace width If your design permits set a smaller minimum width for some nets and turn on the Auto Adjust Trace Width feature Check your minimum maximum lengths Sometimes traces may not be routed because the pins are too far away to be routed with your specified maximum length or too close together to be routed with your specified minimum length the router can only increase the length of a trace by about sixty percent over optimum Similar routing failures may occur with differential pairs when one leg of the pair is much l
160. esults area They also appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View 5 Click Close to close the PCB Transmission Line Calculator Assymetric Stripline Equations The equations used to perform the asymmetric stripline calculations are ZO 1 H 4 H1 80 In 4 2 H T 0 67 3 1415926 0 8 W T sqrt Er Tpd 84 66667 sqrt Er CO Tpd ZO LO C0 Z0 ZO National Instruments Corporation 6 5 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 6 PCB Calculators Dual Stripline Trace Calculations NI Ultiboard User Manual Complete the following steps to perform centered stripline trace calculations 1 Select Tools PCB Transmission Line Calculator 2 Select Dual Stripline in the Type drop down list 3 In the Input Data area edit the following fields as desired Input Length Unit Select mils or millimeters e Trace Separation C Refer to the figure below Dielectric Thickness H Refer to the figure below e Trace Thickness T Refer to the figure below e Trace Width W Refer to the figure below e Relative Permittivity epsilon r Refer to the figure below W H T T T r H ee a Where Wi H T lt 0 35 T H lt 0 25 KK lt ii 4 Click Calculate Results of the calculation appear in the Calculation Results area They also appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View 5 Click Close to close the PCB Transmission Line Calculator Dual Stripline Equations The equations used to perform
161. f Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Max Length Maximum allowable length of copper in a net group Not applicable N A if Topology is set to Shortest Min Length MInimum allowable length of copper in a net group Not applicable N A if Topology is set to Shortest Trace Clearance This is the minimum spacing allowed between the traces in the group and any other trace You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design section for more information Routing Layers The routing layers assigned to this net group Click to display the Layers to Apply dialog box where you set the layers to use for routing copper 1 40 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Column Description Routing Priority The routing priority for the selected net group 1 is the highest priority 2 the second highest etc Leave as None if priority routing is not required This feature is not available in all versions of Ultiboard Locked Yes indicates that the part cannot be moved No indicates that the part can be moved Max Via Count This is the maximum number of vias allowed in the net group Spreadsheet View SMT Pads Tab Use the SMT Pads tab to work with pad information for surface mount devices Column Description Pad Name The unique identifier for the pad by Ref
162. face Design Toolbox The Design Toolbox shown in the figure below is a vital part of the user interface You will use it often to manage your design efforts by controlling major parts of Ultiboard s functionality To toggle it on or off select View Design Toolbox Design Toolbox EE A E Wi Copper Bottom Keepin out Layer M Board Outline I Silkscreen Top I Silkscreen Bottom J 3D Info Top 3D Info Bottom Solder Mask Top Mi Solder Mask Bottom Assembly MPaste Mask Top J Paste Mask Bottom I Clue Mask Top O Glue Mask Bottom Information M Ratsnest MM Design Rule Check Force Vectors Comment Mechanical layers Mechanical Layer 1 Mechanical Layer 2 lt K K K K K lt KK KIK P Projects Layers The Design Toolbox is made up of two tabs e The Projects tab lets you view the projects that are currently open Each project may contain one or more designs Double click to make a particular design the current view e The Layers tab lets you move between layers of your design control the appearance of layers and perform several other functions National Instruments Corporation 1 29 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Birds Eye View The Birds Eye View shows you the design at a glance and lets you easily navig
163. fferential Impedance Calculator performs calculations for two traces that carry signals that are exactly equal and opposite a differential pair You can use the PCB Differential Impedance Calculator to calculate the following parameters for differential pairs e Characteristic Impedance Zo e Per unit length Capacitance Co e Per unit length Inductance Lo e Propogation Delay tpd e Differential Impedance Zdiff The PCB Differential Impedance Calculator supports e Microstrip Calculations e Embedded Microstrip Calculations e Centered Stripline Calculations e Asymmetric Stripline Calculations National Instruments Corporation 6 7 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 6 PCB Calculators Microstrip Calculations Complete the following steps to perform microstrip differential impedance calculations 1 Select Tools PCB Differential Impedance Calculator 2 Select Microstrip in the Type drop down list 3 In the Input Data area edit the following fields as desired Or Input Length Unit Select mils or millimeters Dielectric Thickness H Refer to the figure below Trace Thickness T Refer to the figure below Trace Width W Refer to the figure below Trace Spacing S Refer to the figure below Relative Permittivity epsilon r Refer to the figure below If you wish to define the Characteristic Impedance Zo yourself click User Defined Zo and edit the following fields as desired Input Le
164. field Material Tab To choose the colors to display for the part click on the color box beside each of the following field labels and choose a color from the dialog box that appears e Part The color used when the part s face is viewed at right angles to a line from the viewer to the part e Backlight The color used on any part face for which the light source is not directly incident e Reflection The color used for reflected light This works in conjunction with the Surface setting The more shine the more the part will display reflected light e llumination The color used when the part emits light for example a light emitting diode Pins Tab To choose the pin model to be used in the 3D rendering choose from the Type list By default the pin will attach at the mid point of the body of the part Enable the Height option and enter a height value to use a value other than the default National Instruments Corporation 4 19 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Cylinder Tab Complete the following steps to model a part in a cylindrical package such as a resistor or diode 1 Enable the Cylinder between pins option 2 If the part is a resistor enable the Color code option 3 To place a band to indicate polarization for example for a diode enable the Polarization marking option and choose the pin to mark 4 To set an offset for the cylinder enable Use custom cylinder offsets and en
165. figure below e Trace Width W Refer to the figure below e Relative Permittivity epsilon r Refer to the figure below W Where 0 1 lt W H lt 2 T H lt 0 25 1 lt amp lt 15 4 Click Calculate Results of the calculation appear in the Calculation Results area They also appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View 5 Click Close to close the PCB Transmission Line Calculator Centered Stripline Equations The equations used to perform the centered stripline calculations are ZO 60 In 4 2 H T 0 67 3 1415926 0 8 W T sqrt Er Tpd 84 66667 sqrt Er CO Tpd ZO LO C0 Z0 Z0O 6 4 ni com Chapter 6 PCB Calculators Asymmetric Stripline Trace Calculations Complete the following steps to perform asymmetric stripline trace calculations 1 Select Tools PCB Transmission Line Calculator 2 Select Asymmetric Stripline in the Type drop down list 3 Inthe Input Data area edit the following fields as desired e Input Length Unit Select mils or millimeters e Dielectric Height H1 Refer to the figure below e Dielectric Height H Refer to the figure below e Trace Thickness T Refer to the figure below e Trace Width W Refer to the figure below e Relative Permittivity epsilon r Refer to the figure below W T Where 0 1 lt WH lt 2 H1 gt H T H lt 0 25 1 lt 6 lt 15 4 Click Calculate Results of the calculation appear in the Calculation R
166. formation e NC drill e SVG Scalable Vector Graphics You can also export text files that contain e Board Statistics e Part Centroids e Bill of Materials You can also create reports on e Copper Amounts e Test Points e Layer Stackup Exporting a file begins by opening the Export dialog box You can also use the Export dialog box to create and delete export settings and to view and edit the properties of the export settings 8 10 ni com Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly Using Export Settings Export settings are useful for establishing different parameters as required by different manufacturers or for different purposes for example to export only copper layers or mechanical drawings Complete the following steps to create a new export setting 1 Choose File Export The Export dialog box appears 2 Click New The New settings dialog box appears 3 Enter the new name and click OK The New settings dialog box disappears and the new setting is displayed in the Export settings drop down list The new setting uses the same properties as the Default setting or the setting that was last loaded Refer to the Viewing and Editing Export Properties section for information about changing the properties stored in the new setting Complete the following steps to delete an export setting 1 Choose File Export The Export dialog box appears 2 Select the setting to be deleted from the Export settings drop
167. g elements to selecting elements Follow me Places a trace between two selected points Refer to the Placing a Trace Follow me Method section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Connection Machine Places a trace between two pads Refer to the Placing a Trace Connection Machine Method section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Shape Ellipse Places an ellipse Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Shape Rounded Rectangle Places a rounded rectangle Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Shape Circle Places a circle Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Shape Pie Places a pie shape Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Shape Rectangle Places a rectangle Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Shape Polygon Places a polygon Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Dimension Standard Places a standard dimension a dimension to be placed at an angle Refer to the Placing Dimensions of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information
168. gn Toolbo ksn anen aa a E RR E A Peele athe 1 29 Birds EYS VEW atat o aE A at Seat E E T ER E 1 30 Spreadsheet VEW a re a aa E ees A ae ets 1 31 Spreadsheet View DRC Taboerets E i tae TE ET EEE 1 32 Filter Manaset an a Ae lan he BAe 1 33 Spreadsheet View Results Tabsuissniirnurniensnioai eei 1 34 Spreadsheet View Parts Tab snieter iea a ae aar iai 1 35 Spreadsheet View Part Groups Tab eeseseeseesesesessesreresessesresrsresrrereresererseeee 1 36 National Instruments Corporation ix NI Ultiboard User Manual Contents Spreadsheet View Nets Tab ccceeescescesecseeesecseeesececesesseeesesseeeaeeseees 1 37 Spreadsheet View Nets Groups Tab oo eee eeeeceeseeseceeeceeeeseseeeeaeeseeeaeeseees 1 40 Spreadsheet View SMT Pads Tab eee eeesceeseeeseeeecseeeseeseetaeeseeeaeeseees 1 41 Spreadsheet View THT Pads Tab oo eee cc eeceeseceeeseeneeeeseeeeeeeseeseeenees 1 42 Spreadsheet View Vias Tab 0 ce eseeceeseescesecseeesecseceseceeeseseeeesesseeeaeesaees 1 44 Spreadsheet View Copper Areas Tab o0 0 ec ceeseeseeseeseceeeeeetseseeeeseeseeeaees 1 45 Spreadsheet View Keep ins Keep outs Tab 00 eee eee ceecereeseeeeeseeeeeaeees 1 46 Spreadsheet View PCB Layers Tab oo eee eceeeeseeseeesecsecesesseeesesseeeaeeeees 1 47 Spreadsheet View Parts Position Tab 0 0 eee eeseeseceeeneeeseceeeeseeeeeeseeeees 1 48 Spreadsheet View Statistics Tab oo eee ceeesecseeseceeecseseeeeseesaeeeesseeseees 1 48 Customizing the Interface ii
169. groups area Click Select All to select all available buses for routing or Clear All if you wish to clear all of the checkboxes in the Defined bus groups area If you wish to add or delete bus groups or change a bus group s Assigned Nets click Edit The Bus Groups tab of the Edit Groups dialog box appears where you can Add or Delete bus groups You can 7 15 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement also change the nets assigned to a specific bus group from here by selecting or de selecting the group s checkbox in the Assign Nets list 4 When you start autorouting the buses are routed as in the following example a Ww eoooo 0000 S oo0oo0oo0oo0oo0oo0oo0oo0 oo00 oo00 Ur 5 If you wish to return the values to the default settings for Ultiboard click Default UN Caution The Default button sets default values for all tabs in the Routing Options dialog box Strategies to Achieve Better Routing Results NI Ultiboard User Manual Speed and completion may be trade offs Many of the suggestions for routing completion will greatly increase the time needed to complete routing While it may be tempting to try to guarantee completion by using all possible completion tricks for all layouts many non dense boards can be completely routed without them and they will be routed much faster Set alternating layer biases By default each new Ultiboard project will have trace bias
170. h is not related to Ultiboard s grid NI Ultiboard User Manual Initial Routing Initial routing automatically routes as many traces as possible in a single pass without any rip up and retry operations Ultiboard uses trace hugging to place traces as close together as possible and close to obstacles It also uses copper sharing where appropriate for example in a T junction Rip up and Retry Routing The rip up and retry router attempts to route all open connections In some cases Ultiboard can place all traces in a single pass without rerouting any traces However if Ultiboard does not achieve 100 percent completion then the rip up and retry router rips up selected traces and reroutes them to make room for other traces that could not be placed during the first pass The rip up and retry router is guarded by a backtracking algorithm which not only prevents routing deterioration or deadlock during rip up and optimization but is able to exploit better routing solutions The rip up and retry router automatically activates an intermediate optimizer if a single rip up pass does not achieve 100 routing success Part of Ultiboard s rip up and retry procedure is to analyze dense board areas and adopt routing strategies in these areas which decrease manufacturing costs The cost factors Ultiboard uses can be adapted to your current routing problem thus you can control the routing strategies that Ultiboard uses and keep production cos
171. han two cost factor variables at a time and make your changes in small increments Large adjustments to many variables will almost certainly cause poor results Also remember that many variables share strong mutual dependencies For example any increase in via placing costs compromises the router s ability to route using preferred directions Complete the following steps to set up cost factor parameters 1 Select the Cost Factors tab in the Routing Options dialog box 2 Edit one or more of the following fields in the Routing and Optimization area e Via Cost Factor A high via cost factor results in fewer vias than a low via cost factor but also results in relatively complex circuit traces A low via cost factor permits the router to place vias up to the maximum number you specify with the Maximum Via Count per Trace function e Maximum Via Count per Trace This is the maximum number of vias that the router can place between two connected pins e Counter Direction Cost Factor a high counter direction cost factor forces a strict adherence to the layer specific preferred routing directions while a low factor permits deviations from the preferred direction e Off Grid Routing Cost Factor lIs considered only when you activate the half grid option A high off grid routing cost factor limits the use router s use of the sub grid while a low factor permits frequent use of the sub grid 7 12 ni com Chapter 7 Autorouting and Au
172. he Viewing and Editing Through Hole Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Bottom Pad The shape of the bottom layer pad as set in the Shape Through Hole Pin Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Through Hole Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Annular Ring The size of the annular ring for this pad as set in the Through Hole Pin Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Through Hole Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Pad Diameter The diameter of the pad as set in the Through Hole Pin Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Through Hole Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Drill The diameter of the drill hole in the pad as set in the Diameter Through Hole Pin Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Through Hole Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Trace The minimum clearance permitted between the pad Clearance and traces as set in the Through Hole Pin Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Through Hole Pin Properties section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information National Instruments Corporation 1 43 NI Ultiboard User Manual NI Ultiboard User Manual Spreadsheet View Vias Tab Use the Via
173. he angle of rotation of the test point 4 Inthe Pin Type area choose either Through Hole Technology or Surface Mount Technology 5 Click OK B Note To edita test point s attributes use the Attributes tab Refer to the Attributes section for more information Working with Dimensions Placing Dimensions Dimensions can be placed on a silkscreen top or bottom layer a SB amp NI Ultiboard User Manual To set dimension parameters including arrow style text style position orientation and alignment choose Options Global Preferences and select the Dimensions tab Complete the following steps to place a dimension on the board 1 2 Be sure you have selected the silkscreen top or bottom layer Choose Place Dimension and choose the type of dimension to be placed e Standard lIf the dimension is to be placed at an angle e Horizontal lIf the dimension is to be placed horizontally e Vertical If the dimension is to be placed vertically Click to define the starting point of the dimension Move the pointer to the end point of the dimension Ultiboard measures as you move the pointer 4 26 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts 5 Click to indicate the end point Ultiboard stops measuring the length and draws an arrow between your start and end points 6 Move the pointer to position the stub line and click when you re done In the example shown below the vertical dimension of part RPACK1
174. he following steps to space shapes and or parts 1 2 Select the elements to be spaced Choose the following commands from the Edit Align menu to space the elements e Space Across Spaces three or more objects beside each other evenly e Space Across Plus Increases horizontal space between two or more objects e Space Across Min Decreases horizontal space between two or more objects e Space Down Spaces three or more objects above each other evenly e Space Down Plus lIncreases vertical space between two or more objects e Space Down Min Decreases vertical space between two or more objects Placing a Group Array Box A group array box is used to place parts in an array such as memory chips You create the array box first and then place the parts Complete the following steps to place a group array box 1 Select Place Group Array Box The New group array properties dialog box displays Enter the desired X Spacing and Y Spacing for the array Or If you wish to enter the number of rows and columns instead of the x y spacing enable Enter number of columns and rows and enter the desired number of Columns and Rows Optionally enable Use group centers will use reference point otherwise 4 12 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts 4 Click OK and click and drag the mouse to place the array as desired __ Use handles to size a lolol olololo olo
175. he jumper pins either Through Hole Technology or Surface Mount Technology e Units Units of measurement Working with Test Points a Placing Test Points Default test point pin settings are defined in the PCB Design tab of the Preferences dialog box The default pad settings are based on the settings defined in the Pads Vias tab of the PCB Properties dialog box They can be manually set to use the annular ring specification or pad diameter settings by setting the properties of the pad when the test point has been placed on the design Complete the following steps to place a test point 1 Be sure a copper layer is selected 2 Choose Place Test Point 3 Move the pointer over the design The pointer now has a test point attached 4 Click to drop the test point on the design Test points can be moved oriented and aligned like parts Refer to the Tools to Assist Part Placement section for more information National Instruments Corporation 4 25 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Viewing and Editing Test Point Properties Complete the following steps to edit a test point s properties 1 Select the test point and select Edit Properties The Testpoint 2 Properties dialog appears 2 Select the Test Point tab 3 Inthe Wire area set the following as desired Drill Diameter Board Side The side of the board on which the test point appears Select Top or Bottom e Rotation T
176. he other elements within its area as in the example shown below Deleting All Copper start over choose Edit Copper Delete All Copper This deletes all To delete all copper elements traces copper areas and powerplanes and copper elements in the design NI Ultiboard User Manual 5 12 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Adding and Removing Teardrops A teardrop is a flair that you can add to a trace where the trace connects to a pad This is typically used with very small sized traces to prevent possible breakage in the copper between the trace and the pad Complete the following steps to add teardrops 1 Select Design Add Teardrops The Teardrops dialog box displays 2 Select the Units for the teardrop length 3 In the Length box enter the Preferred and Minimum length for the teardrops The preview area changes as the lengths are changed 4 Inthe Apply to box select the following as desired e Selected pads radio button Teardrops will be added to the pads that are currently selected on the workspace e All of the following radio button When selected enables the SMT pins THT pins and Standard vias checkboxes check as desired 5 Inthe On DRC error box select the desired radio button Choices are Do not create teardrop Ask for confirmation Create teardrop 6 Enable or disable the Ignore pad without net checkbox as desired 7 Click OK to add the teardrops are added
177. her parts that are attached to the same net Try to minimize the ratsnest distances from that part to other pads on the board Force vectors work by treating the force vector lines coming from each part as if they were vectors adding them together as a vector sum and producing a resultant force vector The resultant force vector has a length and direction By moving the part in the direction of the force vector and trying to minimize the force vector length you are moving the part to a location that results in the shortest possible combination of ratsnest lines B Note Force vectors are extremely valuable as a guide but you should not follow them blindly By the nature of the algorithm all force vectors have a natural tendency to point toward the center of the board because all ratsnests would have their shortest connections if all parts were located directly on top of each other in the very center of the board In Ultiboard force vectors are represented by colored lines although they can be dimmed They appear by default but can be controlled through the Information section of the Layers tab in the Design Toolbox Refer to the Accessing Layers section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information about dimming and hiding force vectors The figure below shows force vectors coming from parts NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 6 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Dragging Parts T
178. hin a clearance for example results in an error The board outline clearance is defined in the PCB Properties dialog box Clearances for other copper elements are defined in the General tab of the element s properties Refer to the Viewing and Editing Copper Properties section for more information To view clearances choose View Clearances The clearances are shown as fine blue lines around pads and traces Working with Traces Ultiboard s default trace measures 10 mil wide and has a clearance of 10 mil Clearances are measured from the outside edge of an object a 10 mil trace with a5 mil clearance would measure 20 mil across from edge to edge 5 mil clearance on one side the 10 mil trace and 5 mil clearance on the other side Placing a Trace Manual Method NI Ultiboard User Manual When you place a trace manually you click pads and vias and you must also click the trace s pivot points This means that you have the most control over where the trace lies but you must avoid placing the trace through parts and over other traces If you try to place a manual trace through a part or over another trace an error is generated in the DRC tab of the Spreadsheet View Complete the following steps to place a trace manually 1 Choose a copper layer 2 Select or enter the desired trace size in the Draw Settings toolbar 3 Choose Place Line 4 Click a pad on the board The net the pad is a part of is highlighted and the pads
179. how fiducial marks when you postprocess this design e Line thickness Enter the desired thickness for the fiducial marks lines 15 To apply your changes but leave the Preferences dialog box open click Apply To apply your changes and close the Preferences dialog box click OK Use the Dimensions tab of the Preferences dialog box to define the characteristics to be used for any dimensions placed in the board Refer to the Working with Dimensions section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for information about placing dimensions Complete the following steps to define the default dimension characteristics 1 Choose Options Global Preferences The Preferences dialog box appears 2 Click the Dimensions tab 1 20 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface 3 Set the following as desired e Units This is the unit of measure for Stub Length Arrow Style and Text Style e Stub Length This is the amount the end lines of the dimension protrude above eacg arrowhead e Arrow Style This is where you adjust the size and appearance of the arrow e Text Style This is where you adjust the size and appearance of the text e Displayed Unit Select the unit of measure to be displayed with the dimension If you select Use Design Settings the unit of measure selected in the Design Units field of the Grids amp Units tab of the PCB Properties dialog box are used This setting also appears in the Draw Settings toolbar e Alignment an
180. i com View Menu Appendix A Menus and Commands The following table describes the commands found in the View menu Command Description Full Screen Redraw Screen Use to fill the screen with the design only hides menus toolbars other windows Click the Close Full Screen button to return to normal view Refreshes the screen Zoom In Zooms in to see more details Zoom Out Zooms out to see more of the design Zoom Window Zooms in on a selected area of the workspace hold down the mouse button and drag to select an area Zoom Full Returns to the full view of the design after zooming in or out lt Ctr1 F7 gt zooms out so that the entire design is visible and centered This includes the board outline and any objects that may be either inside or outside the board lt F7 gt zooms out so that the board is visible and centered Any objects outside the board outline will be outside the visible region Clearances Toggles the clearances around pads traces and other objects on and off Refer to the Placing Traces section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Grid Toggles the visual grid on and off Ruler Bars Toggles the ruler bars on and off Refer to the Using Ruler Bars and Guides section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Status Bar Toggles the status bar on and off Density Bars Density Bars section of
181. ign file and click OK Selecting and Unselecting Elements NI Ultiboard User Manual You can select and unselect single and multiple elements in a design such as parts holes and traces To select a single element on a board click the element A dotted line around the element or running through the trace indicates that it has been selected 2 12 ni com Chapter 2 Beginning a Design Complete the following to select multiple elements on a board Hold down the lt Shift gt key while clicking the elements that you want to select Or Click and drag to draw a box around the elements you wish to select When you release the mouse button the elements that were inside the box are selected To select all elements on a board choose Edit Select All or press lt Ctrl1l A gt Complete the following steps to select an entire trace not just a trace segment 1 Select a segment belonging to the trace you want to select 2 Choose Edit Select Entire Trace The entire trace is then selected To unselect one element select another element or click outside of the board outline To unselect one element in a group of selected elements hold the lt ctr1 gt key down and click the element to be unselected Using Selection Filters As you add more parts and traces to a board it can become more difficult to select only those which you want to use Ultiboard provides you with selection filters to allow controlled select
182. ile to open You can open the following e Ultiboard Files ewprj e Orcad Files max 11b e Protel Files pcb ddb e Gerber Files gbr refer to the Viewing Gerber Files section for more information e DXF Files dxf e Ultiboard 4 amp 5 design Files adf e Ultiboard 4 amp 5 libraries 155 e Netlist Files ewnet net nt7 e Calay Netlist Files net 3 Note To view all files in the folder created by NI Circuit Design Suite software and any other software select 3 Select a file from the list displayed and click Open The file opens along with its associated project e Ifyou open an Ultiboard project file you see the designs within that project in the Projects tab e Ifyou opened a ddf file you see the design appear in the workspace A file with the same name is created automatically Viewing Gerber Files You can view one or more Gerber files before sending them for PCB manufacturing 3 Note Refer to the Parameters Supported in Gerber Viewer section for important information National Instruments Corporation 2 5 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 2 Beginning a Design Complete the following steps to view a Gerber RS 274X file 1 Select File Open to display a standard file selection dialog box 2 Choose Gerber Files gbr in the Files of type list 3 Select the desired file and click Open The file appears in the Gerber Viewer Com
183. ile types NI Ultiboard User Manual 10 2 ni com Chapter 10 Using Mechanical CAD Importing a DXF File Complete the following steps to import a DXF file into a mechanical CAD design 1 Choose File Import DXF A standard file selector appears 2 Navigate to the correct location for the dxf file select it and click OK Setting Mechanical CAD Properties and Options Setting Mechanical CAD Properties To set mechanical CAD properties Choose Edit Properties Or Right click on an empty area of the design and choose Properties from the context menu Working with mechanical CAD properties is done the same way as with PCB properties except that mechanical CAD designs have only two grids Setting Mechanical CAD Colors 1 Choose Options Global Preferences The Preferences dialog box I appears 2 Click the Colors tab 3 Adjust the following as required e Color scheme drop down list Select the desired color scheme e Color element drop down list Select the element from the drop down list Click the colored button beside this field to display a color palette Optionally click New element to define a new element for the Color element list e Grayed out factor slider bar Move the slider to adjust the appearance of grayed out items on the design Except for default elements being slightly different this dialog box works the same way as for PCB designs Refer to the Colors Tab section of Chap
184. in the workspace See next step The remainder of this section uses the example shown in the figure below The parts shown are not connected any net 3 Click the Add pins button and click the desired pin in the workspace Continue until all pins for the net are listed in the Pins area NI Ultiboard User Manual 5 22 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Net edit wo w s f f Rename Delete Nowe zi amp Y m n Topology Shates het tss O Daisy chain O Star Lwid h Pns isc Hgh Speed Groups via SVL Pin 1 RY Pn2 R10 An 2 ox cana teb ab pi 4 i BES ar o As pins are clicked they are highlighted in the workspace At the same time their identifiers appear here Or Click Add The Add Pins to the Net dialog box displays Highlight the pins to be added and click Add The dialog box closes and the Net edit dialog box shows the added pins in the list of pads for the displayed net 4 Click OK in the Net edit dialog box The dialog box closes and the net information is added in the workspace including its ratsnest and force vectors Refer to the Working with Ratsnests and Working with Force Vectors sections of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information National Instruments Corporation 5 23 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with
185. ines or crosses that you set up in the Visible grid style field e Grid Step Name Use this field to change the distance between a grid s elements Select the desired grid Part Grid Copper Grid Via Grid SMD Grid and then enter the desired increment in the Grid Step Value field 1 22 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface e Degree Step tThis field becomes active when Polar Grid is selected in the Grid Type field Enter the desired distance between the grid s elements dots lines or crosses Select the unit of measure in the drop down list to the right of this field choices are degrees radians or grads e Grid start offset tThis field becomes active when Polar Grid is selected in the Grid Type field Enter the distance to offset the center of the polar grid X is horizonatal offset Y is vertical offset 3 Click OK to close the dialog To show or hide the visible grid select View Grid Copper Layers Tab Use the Copper Layers tab of the PCB Properties dialog box to determine the layer pairs that are acceptable for blind buried or micro vias This is used when you try to place a via Your choices will affect the cost of the board and should be confirmed with the board manufacturer This tab also allows you to set the default clearance for the board the distance from the edge of the board that is to be kept free of any other elements For example if you try to run a trace through a clearance or try to place a
186. ing Group Part Placement section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Click OK to close the Edit Groups dialog box If you do not wish to close the dialog box click Apply to accept the changes Complete the following steps to add pre selected parts to a net group 1 Ui A a Select the desired parts on the workspace Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box Click the Part Groups tab Select the desired part group in the Groups box Click Add Pre selected The parts that you pre selected on the workspace are added to the Assigned Parts column Click OK to close the Edit Groups dialog box If you do not wish to close the dialog box click Apply to accept the changes Complete the following steps to edit a part group 1 2 3 4 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box Select the Part Groups tab Highlight the desired group in the Groups list Do any of the following as required e Add parts to the group as described earlier in this section e Remove parts from the group using Remove All button Click to remove all Assigned Parts from the group Remove button Select the parts you wish to remove from the group in the Assigned Nets list and click Remove Click Apply Optionally highlight the desired group in the Groups list and click the Properties button to display the Change group settings dialog box Make the required change
187. instead of just the active layer In the Part Drag area e Re route after move Select if you would like the traces that are attached to a part to be re routed if you move the part In the Default pin diameters area e Jumpers Enter the default pin diameter for jumpers e Testpoints Enter the default pin diameter for testpoints In the Action on DRC error area set the actions to be taken when Ultiboard encounters a Design Rule Error e Cancel the current action Select to prevent the current operation from being completed For example placing a trace over a pad that is part of a different netlist will not be permitted e Ask for confirmation Select so that if an invalid operation is attempted a prompt is given asking if the operation should be completed even though a Design Rule will be violated e Overrule Select to permit the operation to be completed In the On trace deletion area e Auto delete Via standard Select to have vias automatically deleted when you delete the trace associated with that via e Auto delete teardrop Select to have teardrops automatically deleted when you delete the trace associated with that teardrop 1 18 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface 10 In the On trace placement area Auto trace narrowing Select to allow traces to narrow as necessary during routing Auto add teardrop Select to add a teardrop when a trace is placed 11 Inthe DRC amp Net check area No Realtime
188. ion Automatic Pin Gate Swap Refer to the Automatic Pin Gate Swapping section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for information Part Shoving Toggles shoving on and off When shoving is on parts shove any others out of the way when being moved or placed Refer to the Shoving Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual A 12 ni com Appendix A Menus and Commands Command Description Set Reference Point Defines the reference point for your board Refer to the Setting the Board s Reference Point section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Shield Nets Shields nets Refer to the Shielding Nets section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Fanout SMD Places a via fanout for an SMD part Refer to the Placing SMD Fanouts section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Add Teardrops Adds teardrops to pads Refer to the Adding and Removing Teardrops section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Corner Mitering Applies corner mitering before production Refer to the Mitering Corners section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information Remove Unused Vias Deletes all vias that do not have any trace segments or copper areas connected to them Use this command after Edit Copper Delete Open Trace Ends to c
189. ion Note There are up to ten mechanical CAD layers in PCB design These layers allow you to provide information that is directly related to the PCB You place elements on them to represent the mechanical elements of your design for example cabinet casing or mounting brackets NI Ultiboard User Manual 1 26 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Complete the following steps to rename layers 1 Click Rename in the Layer Names area The Select Layer for Renaming dialog box appears 2 Select the layer that you wish to rename and click OK The Layer dialog box appears 3 Enter the new Layer Name and click OK Design Rules Tab Complete the following steps to set the design rules for the PCB 1 Click on the Design Rules tab 2 Inthe Design Rule Default Values area set the following as desired Trace Width Settings Set trace width and minimum and maximum trace width Trace Length Settings Set minimum and maximum trace length Trace Neck Settings Set minimum and maximum trace neck length Clearance Settings Set clearance to traces pads vias and copper areas For all of these clearances to be active and display in the Spreadsheet View the Use multiple clearances checkbox must be selected Otherwise only clearance to traces will be operational Part Spacing Settings Set minimum distance between parts This setting only applies to the spacing during part shoving Tip To set this option for an individua
190. ions The selection filters are found in Edit Selection Filter and the Select toolbar By default all the selection filters are on that is you can select any element Use the filters to select or not select specific elements by toggling the choices on and off For example to select only traces disable the other selection filters and enable only the traces one As you work through your design you will find different combinations of selection filters helpful to prevent accidentally selecting and potentially modifying elements Place and Select Modes Ultiboard assumes that placing shapes parts or traces on a board are actions you are likely to repeat As a result when you place items on the board you remain in place mode the cursor has a small icon attached indicating what is being placed so that you can continue to place the same National Instruments Corporation 2 13 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 2 Beginning a Design S type of item repeatedly After placing a shape part or trace on a board the pointer continues to carry the icon and is ready to place another object like the one you just placed You must cancel this mode and return to select mode in order to perform other functions Complete the following to cancel the place mode and return to select mode 1 Right click Or Press lt Esc gt Or Choose Place Select Searching for Design Elements fA To find out if an element exist
191. ions on high speed PCBs it is necessary to make the traces appear as if they are transmission lines This is done by calculating the characteristic impedance of the trace Zo and then terminating it with its characteristic impedance This makes the trace appear like an infinitely long transmission line and it will therefore have no reflections even though in reality it has a finite length What actually occurs is that all of the energy that travels down the trace is absorbed and there is no energy left to reflect back Once you have calculated Zo you can use it to design the trace s termination There are a number of methods used to terminate transmission lines for example series termination diode termination which are beyond the scope of this manual We recommend that you refer to any number of available texts on the subject 3 Note Equations used are based on the IPC D 317A document from the IPC organization www ipc org In addition to Characteristic Impedance Zo you can use the PCB Transmission Line Calculator to calculate the following parameters for typical printed circuit board trace geometries e Per unit length Capacitance Co e Per unit length Inductance Lo e Propogation Delay tpd The PCB Transmission Line Calculator supports e Microstrip Trace Calculations e Embedded Microstrip Trace Calculations National Instruments Corporation 6 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 6 PCB Calculators Centere
192. is folder 1 Open a standard Windows explorer window 2 Select Organize Folder amp Search Options 3 Select the View tab Show hidden files and folders OK B Note The default location for the Corporate database can change if the database has been configured to be shared across a network drive Check the Preferences dialog box to find the location of this database Refer to the Paths Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Backing up the User Database and Configuration files NI Ultiboard User Manual Windows XP and Windows 2000 For Windows XP and Windows 2000 the User database is stored at C Documents and Settings lt User_Name gt Application Data National Instruments Circuit Design Suite 10 1 database The file name for the User database is UsrComp_S_ lt user name gt usr The user s configuration file is stored at C Documents and Settings lt User_Name gt Application Data National Instruments Circuit Design Suite 10 1 config The Application Data folder is a system folder and thus may be hidden Complete the following steps to view this folder 1 Open a standard Windows explorer window 2 Select Tools Folder Options 3 Select the View tab Show hidden files and folders OK Windows Vista For Windows Vista the User database is stored at C Users lt user name gt AppData Roaming National Instruments 10 1 database The file name for the User database is UsrComp_S_ lt
193. isplays a file with a list of National Instruments software related patents File Information Displays the File Information dialog box About Ultiboard Displays the version numbers of your copy of Ultiboard Context Menus Select Menu Depending on the action the following context sensitive menus display when the right mouse button is clicked Select Menu Right drag Menu Place Trace Menu When you select an object or objects in a design and then right click your mouse a context menu with the following options displays Command Description Cut Removes the selected element s from the board Element is placed on the Windows Clipboard and can be pasted again Paste Pastes the item on the Windows Clipboard to its original layer regardless of what layer is currently active Creates new duplicate object s without the netlist information New parts will have Reference Designators that increment from the next available for that part type For example if the last resistor was R34 and a resistor is pasted its Reference Designator will be R35 Copy Copies the selected elements and stores them on the Windows Clipboard so they can be pasted again NI Ultiboard User Manual A 18 ni com Appendix A Menus and Commands Command Description Delete Deletes the selection from the design Select All Selects all items on the design Select Entire Trace
194. it may be faster to simply place them on the board by hand using Ultiboard s part shoving facility not available in all versions to ensure that parts do not overlap than to spend time trying to tune the autoplacement parameters to achieve complete placement Autorouting The following sections describe the autorouting functions in Ultiboard Understanding How the Autorouter Works Ultiboard contains four fundamental trace routing functions e router preprocessing e initial routing e rip up and retry passes e optimization Ultiboard uses combinations of these functions to route a board They are described in the Understanding the Four Fundamental Routing Functions section Information on how to use these functions can be found in the Running the Autorouter section Understanding the Four Fundamental Routing Functions The following sections describe the four fundamental routing functions used by Ultiboard Router Preprocessing Before routing begins Ultiboard analyzes the entire board considering trace widths clearances Keep in and Keep out areas The preprocessor then adapts the router parameters and algorithms best suited for this particular board for example routing grid size pin clearance algorithms and connection routing order National Instruments Corporation 7 5 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement B Note The routing algorithms use their own internal routing grid whic
195. king on the column header If you are looking at the attributes of a part that was imported from Multisim and that part has variants assigned the tab will also have a variant attribute as shown below A Note For complete information on variants refer to the Multisim help file NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 16 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Complete the following steps to modify or add an attribute 1 Select the attribute you want to modify and click Change The Attribute dialog box appears Or Click New The Select layer for attribute dialog box appears Select the desired layer and click OK The Attribute dialog box appears 2 Do some or all of the following Change or set the attribute s tag by choosing from the Tag list Change or set the attribute s value by entering it in the Value field Choose the attribute s Visibility by enabling the desired option Visible attributes are previewed in the Alignment area of the dialog box Use the Alignment area to set the attribute s alignment when visible relative to the part footprint Use the Line Font area of this dialog box to specify the weight of font used to display the attribute when visible Your choices are reflected in the preview area Or If you want to use unicode characters enable the Windows Font radio button click the Font button and select the desired font from the Font dialog box that appears Please note that right to left fon
196. l part go to the Part tab of that part s properties dialog box Refer to the Shoving Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Pin amp Gate Swapping Settings Set parameters for pin and gate swapping Thermal Relief Set the thermal relief shape Drill Technology Set the minimum tool size for slot drilling For information on any setting select it in the Design Rule Default Values area A description appears in the field at the bottom of the dialog National Instruments Corporation 1 27 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Setting Favorite Layers You can assign shortcuts for up to ten layers using the Favorite layers tab These shortcuts can then be used to make a layer active The active layer is the layer where any new elements will be placed or where any deletions will be made Complete the following steps to assign shortcut numbers to layers 1 Click on the Favorite layers tab 2 Select the desired layer from the drop down list beside each layer number For example you may wish to assign Layer 2 to the Copper Bottom layer 3 Click OK To make a layer active press lt Ctr1 Alt layer number gt on your keyboard The layer becomes active and is highlighted in the Layers tab of the Design Toolbox In the above example pressing lt Ctr1 Alt 2 gt on your keyboard makes the Copper Bottom layer active NI Ultiboard User Manual 1 28 ni com Chapter 1 User Inter
197. lacing the Unpositioned Parts button is activated on the Parts tab 4 2 Click the Start Placing the Unpositioned Parts button bay 3 Move the pointer over the board The selected part is attached to the pointer as you move it over the board 4 When the part is in position click to drop it on the board The next part in the list appears on the mouse pointer 5 Continue clicking to drop a part and pick up the next until you have placed as many as desired 6 Right click to drop the last part or to cancel the action Parts that you place this way can then be adjusted or moved as necessary Refer to the Tools to Assist Part Placement section for more information about moving parts and adjusting their placement National Instruments Corporation 4 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 3 Working with Parts Using the Parts Tab for Other Functions The Parts tab of the Spreadsheet View can also be used to select a part lock parts in their current position find and select a part or preview a part To select a part using the Parts tab double click the part in the list The part appears selected in the design Complete the following steps to lock and unlock parts 1 Click a part in the list to select it To select multiple parts click one part hold the lt Shift gt key down then click the last part you want to select The two parts that you clicked and any parts listed between them are now selected 2 Click the Lo
198. lains about placing the following elements Placing Mounting Holes and Connectors Placing Holes Placing Shapes and Graphics Working with Jumpers Working with Test Points Working with Dimensions Placing Mounting Holes and Connectors Mounting holes and connectors are placed from the database Refer to the Placing Parts from the Database section for more information Placing Holes You can also place holes directly onto the workspace without using the database as described below 1 Select Place Hole The Through Hole Pin Properties dialog box appears Select the desired Shape for the whole The Hole Preview changes accordingly If you select Custom the Get a Part from the Database dialog box displays where you must navigate to the desired part in the database Enter the desired Units Length Radius and Width for the hole Optionally enable Plated in the Drill Option area if you wish the hole to be plated Click OK The dialog closes and the hole is placed on the cursor Move the cursor to the desired location and click to place it on the workspace You can continue clicking to place more instances of the same hole or right click to cancel placement Placing Shapes and Graphics Ultiboard allows you to place various shapes and graphics on your design and to move them once they have been placed Depending on your active layer the set of available shapes and graphics for placement and what they NI Ulti
199. lar to the example below zx Degas GettingStarted i csi TF 652 TF cs3 TF G54 ZF css 4 Gerber Viewer orfeeanne Gerber Layers weeesle Projects Layers TF csi TF 652 1 653 TF G54 1 655 Gerber Layers 4l 2 Select the Layers tab in the Design Toolbox National Instruments Corporation 2 7 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 2 Beginning a Design As shown in the example below each open Gerber file appears as a different layer in the Layers tab nye Note If you open a Gerber file that contains multiple layers each layer displays as a different layer in the Layers tab Gerber layers VE Gerber Layer 1 M Gerber Layer 2 Silkscreen Top VIE Solder Mask Top e ry te AL a IE E E E Projects Layers TF csi TE 652 F cs3 TF 654 1 G55 Gerber Layers 4 gt For Gerber RS 274X files the layer name contained in the Gerber file is used as the layer name in the Layers tab For example Silkscreen Top and Solder Mask Top as shown above Gerber RS 274D files do not include layer names For this file type the layer names displays as Gerber Layer 1 Gerber Layer 2 and so on As with the Layers tab for Ultiboard design files you can rename dim hide or change the color of each layer Refer to the Accessing Layers section for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual 2 8 ni com Chapter 2 Beginning a Design Pa
200. lds in the Optimization area e Change Direction Cost Factor A high direction cost factor limits the number of trace corners the optimizer creates A low factor allows frequent changes in routing direction e Equi Space Trace Cost Factor A high value here indicates that traces will be spread out more during optimization with a resultingly higher cost 5 If you wish to return the values to the default settings for Ultiboard click Default UN Caution The Default button sets default values for all tabs in the Routing Options dialog box National Instruments Corporation 7 13 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement Routing Options Rip Up Tab Complete the following steps to set up rip up parameters 1 Select the Rip Up tab in the Routing Options dialog box 2 Edit one or more of the fields in the Rip up Trees area e Maximum Rip Up Trees Sets the maximum number of traces that can be ripped up during each rip up cycle e Maximum Rip Up Depth Controls the persistence of the rip up process The higher the value you set the greater the persistence each rip up cycle has that is the more ways the placement is analyzed before a final placement is made e Maximum Rip Up Retries Sets the maximum number of rip up retries for each trace The higher the number of retries you set the greater the rip up intensity in each trace 3 Note In general high rip up control values increase the persistence
201. lean up the design Refer to the Deleting Unused Vias section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information Group Replica Place Copies and places a group of parts Refer to the Replicating Group Part Placement section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Copy Route Copies copper routing between groups Refer to the Copying a Copper Route section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Highlight Selected Net Selects and highlights an entire net when you have selected one trace segment of that net Refer to the Highlighting a Net section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information National Instruments Corporation A 13 NI Ultiboard User Manual Appendix A Tools Menu Menus and Commands The following table describes the commands found in the Tools menu Command Description Board Wizard Assists you in creating a board outline Refer to the Working with the Board Outline section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Part Wizard Assists you in creating a part and adds it directly to the user database Refer to the Using the Part Wizard to Create a Part section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Database Database Manages the parts database Refer to the Managing the Database Manager section for more information Database Add Selection to Database Pl
202. lects defined aperture G codes Code Description G00 Move G01 Linear interpolation G02 Clockwise circular interpolation G03 Counterclockwise circular interpolation G04 Comment ignored G10 Linear interpolation Gil Linear interpolation G12 Linear interpolation G36 Turn on polygon fill G37 Turn off polygon fill G54 Select tool G70 Set unit to inches G71 Set unit to millimeters G74 Disable multi quadrant circular interpolation G75 Enable multi quadrant circular interpolation NI Ultiboard User Manual 2 10 ni com Chapter 2 Beginning a Design M codes Code Description M00 End of program M01 End of program MO2 End of program Saving and Closing E To save a file right click on the project file name in the Projects tab and ta from the context menu choose Save or choose File Save Saving a file also saves the designs in the file You can also select a file in the Projects tab and click the save icon Saving a design also saves a file and therefore any other designs in the file To save a file with a new name and or location choose File Save As and provide the new name and or location All designs in the file are saved in the new location mi To save all open file and designs choose File Save All ee To close the current file and its designs choose File Close If you have any unsaved changes in the file or designs you are prompted to save the file and or designs
203. lick in another location to place another via National Instruments Corporation 5 15 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper B Note Depending on your setting in the PCB Design tab of the Preferences dialog box vias associated with a trace may be deleted when the trace is deleted Viewing and Editing Via Properties NI Ultiboard User Manual Via properties consist of five tabs Attributes General Via Layer Settings and Thermal Relief The Attributes tab allows you to edit the properties of the selected via Refer to the Attributes section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information The General tab is the default and appears when you choose Edit Properties It allows you to change the X Y coordinates the size of the clearance the via angle the side of the board the via is on and to define the units of measurement Complete the following steps to change the settings in the General tab 1 In the Measurements box set the following as desired e X Y The X and Y coordinates of the via e Net The net the via is connected to read only e Angle degrees Leave at 0 00 Board side Select either Top or Bottom radio button read only 2 Optionally enable the Locked checkbox to lock the via in place and change the Units of measurement 3 Inthe Clearances box enter the desired clearance of the selected via to traces in the To Trace field Complete the following step
204. llow only SMD parts with two pins to be placed on the solder side of the board SMD Rotation Mode Used to set amount by which surface mount parts can be rotated during autoplacement Select one of None for no rotation 90 Deg for 90 clockwise rotation of all autoplaced SMD parts 0 or 90 Deg to have parts either not 7 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement rotate or rotate 90 clockwise 90 Deg Steps to have parts rotate either 90 180 or 270 degrees clockwise e Global Part Spacing Enter the minimum allowed space between parts In the Miscellaneous area e Use Pin Gate Swap Check to enable pin gate swapping during autoplacement of parts Exchanges the nets of gates and or pins and pin groups where gates or groups can also be swapped between different parts e Use Part Swap Check to enable part swapping during autoplacement of parts Mutually exchanges identical parts at their insertion position in order to minimize trace lengths Click OK to apply settings If you wish to return the values to the default settings click Default UN Caution The Default button sets default values for all tabs in the Routing Options dialog box Strategies to Achieve Better Part Placement Occasionally the autoplacer is unable to place all the parts in a design In this case try one or more of the following Reduce the part spacing As part expansion values get larger the area in which the auto
205. locate the desired section of a part 4 9 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Using Ruler Bars and Guides Use the ruler bars to place guides on the design or to measure distances Elements on the design will snap to the dotted lines representing the guides on the design To toggle the ruler bars off or on choose View Ruler bars E Complete the following steps to place a ruler guide on the workspace 1 Click in the ruler bar at the measurement where you want the guide placed shown in 1 in the figure below Guides and dotted lines appear as shown in 2 amp 3 below 1 Ruler Bar 2 Placed Guides 3 Dotted Lines To move a guide click on it in the ruler bar and drag it to a new location 3 Note Ifa guide crosses elements on the design moving the guide will also move the elements To remove a guide right click on it in the ruler bar and choose either Clear for a single guide or Clear All for multiple guides To use a guide to measure click on it in the ruler bar Measurements from the edge of the window and other guides appear and change if you move the guide NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 10 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Orienting Parts Parts are placed on the board in a certain orientation which may not be the orientation in which you need them You can however orient them by rotating them or by swapping them to another layer Complete the following steps
206. log box allows you to specifiy whether Scaleable Vector Graphic SVG files will be compressed or not when they are exported You can also select the minimum stroke width for exported objects like circles Complete the following steps to change the SVG export properties 1 Select Scalable Vector Graphics in the Export dialog box and click Properties 2 Inthe SVG File Format box select one of e Compressed svg The SVG file will be compressed when it is exported e Uncompressed svg tThe SVG file will not be compressed when it is exported 3 Enter the Minimum stroke width in the SVG Options box This is the minimum width of an object s border in micrometers 4 Click OK to accept the changes Working with other Properties Working with Board Statistics Properties The Board Statistics dialog box allows you to view the statistics on the board being exported as well as to filter the file types to be exported and to define the units of measurement in the statistics e Statistics list The list at the top of the dialog displays the board statistics including DRC violations e File type box Select any of TXT CSV and HTML e Units box Select the unit of measurement National Instruments Corporation 8 13 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly NI Ultiboard User Manual Working with Bill of Materials Properties The Bill of Materials dialog box displays the bill of materials
207. ltiboard keeps in memory Minimum cache size is 5 Undo buffer size The number of undo actions allowed e Load last file on startup Enable if you would like to continue working on the last file you had open in your previous Ultiboard session e Unicode Settings box If desired enable the Save TXT files as plain text checkbox e Language Select the desired language from the list You must restart Ultiboard for all dialog boxes to reflect the new setting 4 To apply your changes but leave the Preferences dialog box open click Apply To apply your changes and close the Preferences dialog box click OK The Ultiboard installation puts specific files in specific locations If necessary you can point Ultiboard to a new location to find for example database files You can also use this dialog box to create and specify user settings files that contain individuals preferences for all options Complete the following steps to change file locations 1 Choose Options Global Preferences The Preferences dialog box appears 2 Select the Paths tab 3 Change the following as desired e Circuit Default Path This is where all new files are saved unless you manually navigate to a new location when saving e User Button Images Path This is where you store any user created button graphics 4 Change the User Settings as desired e Configuration File Contains the user interface settings e New User Configuration File
208. luding traces copper areas and powerplanes Refer to the Deleting All Copper section for more information Copper Delete Deletes all teardrops on your design Refer to the Adding and All Teardrops Removing Teardrops section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information National Instruments Corporation A 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Appendix A Menus and Commands Command Description Copper Delete Open Deletes all open trace ends in the design Use to clean up the design Trace Ends after design completion Refer to the Deleting Open Trace Ends section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information Copper Delete Copper Removes copper islands Refer to the Placing Copper Areas section Island of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Find Finds an element in the design Refer to the Searching for Design Elements section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information Select All Selects everything on a board no matter what layer the elements are on Refer to the Searching for Design Elements section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information Select Entire Trace Selects a whole trace when one or more segments of the same trace are selected Group Selection Groups selected elements together Grouped elements can be moved together Ungroup Selection Ungroups the individual elements in
209. mage as you would any other screen capture contained in the system clipboard Complete the following steps to copy a section of your screen to the clipboard Select Tools Capture Screen Area A selection frame appears on your workspace Optionally to move the frame to a different location e Move your cursor to the border of the frame A crosshair is added to the cursor indicating that the selection frame can be moved to a different location e Drag the selection frame to the desired location 8 2 ni com Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly 3 Optionally to re size the selection frame e Move the cursor to one of the sizing handles e Drag the cursor to re size the selection frame 4 Click on the copy button at the top left corner of the selection frame The image inside the selection frame is copied to the system clipboard Click on the x at the top right corner of the selection frame to close it 6 Open the desired application for example MS Word and click on Paste to paste the image Placing a Comment Adding a comment permits redlining which can be used to show engineering change orders to facilitate collaborative work among team members or to allow background information to be attached to a design You can pin a comment to the workspace or directly to a part When a part with an attached comment is moved the comment also moves The figure below shows a comment pinned to a
210. ment e Add column button Other attributes that have been defined for objects can be assigned to columns for reporting purposes for example preferred part supplier Click to define a new column e Remove column button Select a column to remove in the drop down list and click this button 8 14 ni com Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly Working with Copper Amount Properties The Copper Amounts Report dialog shows the amount of copper used on the board Columns Click column headers in the list to sort the columns File type box Select any of TXT CSV and HTML Units box Select the unit of measurement Add column button Other attributes that have been defined for objects can be assigned to columns for reporting purposes for example preferred part supplier Click to define a new column Remove column button Select a column to remove in the drop down list and click this button Working with Layer Stackup Properties A Layer Stackup Report shows you a board s layers the layer type ground power signal or unassigned and the types of vias that are between layers The Layer Stackup Report dialog lets you set which file types to export when you run a Layer Stackup Report Exporting the Desired File Complete the following steps to export a file Ls 2 3 Select File Export to display the Export dialog box Select the export setting to be used If desired change any properties stored in th
211. mmand to a menu or toolbar 1 Drag the desired command from the Commands list to the desired menu or toolbar When a command is selected in the Command list its description is displayed in the Description field 2 Ifyou do not see the command that you require click on another selection in the Categories list to display more commands 3 Ifyou wish to add a button to a toolbar that is not showing click on the Toolbars tab and click in the checkbox beside the desired toolbar to make it visible 4 Click Close when customizations are complete To remove a command from a menu or toolbar right click on it and select Delete from the pop up that appears The Customize dialog box must be open when you do this To change the position of a command that is in a menu or toolbar drag it to its new location The Customize dialog box must be open when you do this National Instruments Corporation 1 49 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Toolbars Tab The Toolbars tab in the Customize dialog box is used to show or hide toolbars and to add new custom toolbars Complete the following steps to use the features in this tab 1 To display a toolbar switch on the checkbox beside the desired toolbar in the Toolbars list 2 Switch off a checkbox to hide a toolbar iy Note You cannot switch off the Menu bar 3 The buttons in this tab function as follows Reset All Displays the Reset Toolbars dialog box where you
212. n Align to Coordinate Displays the Enter coordinate dialog box where you enter new coordinates for the selected element Align Space Across Spaces three or more objects beside each other evenly Align Space Across Plus Increases horizontal space between two or more objects Align Space Across Min Decreases horizontal space between two or more objects Align Space Down Spaces three or more objects above each other evenly Align Space Down Plus Increases vertical space between two or more objects Align Space Down Min Decreases vertical space between two or more objects Vertex Add Vertex Adds a vertex to a polygon segment a vertex is a point on a polygon Refer to the Editing a Polygon section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Vertex Remove Vertex Removes a vertex from a polygon a vertex is a point on a polygon Refer to the Editing a Polygon section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information In Place Part Edit Edits a part that has already been defined and placed on the board Refer to the Editing a Placed Part In Place Edit section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Properties Displays the properties of the selected element Results will differ depending on what is selected If no element is selected displays the board properties Properties are described throughout this guide NI Ultiboard User Manual A 6 n
213. n 3D Showing an Object s Height Internal View NI Ultiboard User Manual While in the 3D view you can show an object s height as shown in the figure below Complete the following steps to show an object s height 1 Select Tools Show or Hide Height 2 Click the cursor on a 3D part A callout with the part s height appears 3 Repeat on as many parts as desired To hide a part s height click on the part The callout with the height disappears To rotate or magnify the board select Tools View 3D Position Refer to the Manipulating the 3D View section for more information about this command You can use the Internal View to look between the layers of a multi layer PCB Complete the following steps to view the 3D internal view of a PCB 1 From the 3D view select View Internal Layers 2 Zoom in and out on the Internal View as desired 9 4 ni com Chapter 9 Viewing Designs in 3D The figure below shows the normal 3D view of a sample PCB The figure below shows the internal 3D view of the same PCB il a ee i O E ria reer a JZ FRAPPR eee 8 ee Ti iTi M SUG ee iy 3 Note Internal View options are set in the 3D Options tab of the Preferences dialog box Refer to the 3D Options Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Exporting to 3D DXF Ultiboard can export a 3D DXF file for your design Complete the following steps
214. n denotes a tip which alerts you to advisory information This icon denotes a note which alerts you to important information This icon denotes a caution which advises you of precautions to take to avoid injury data loss or a system crash Bold text denotes items that you must select or click in the software such as menu items and dialog box options Bold text also denotes parameter names Italic text denotes variables emphasis a cross reference or an introduction to akey concept Italic text also denotes text that is a placeholder for a word or value that you must supply Text in this font denotes text or characters that you should enter from the keyboard sections of code programming examples and syntax examples This font is also used for the proper names of disk drives paths directories programs subprograms subroutines device names functions operations variables filenames and extensions Bold text in this font denotes the messages and responses that the computer automatically prints to the screen This font also emphasizes lines of code that are different from the other examples Italic text in this font denotes text that is a placeholder for a word or value that you must supply Contents Chapter 1 User Interface Introduction to the Ultiboard Interface cee eeeseeseesecesceceneeeeeecececeseeceaeeeeecseeeeaeeenees 1 1 Too bars niiside iit et son ev ieee ee ae a ee ad ee 1 1 Standard TOO DAL sorei
215. n trace ends make sure the design is open and choose ua in the design Deleting Unused Vias Normally you would delete unused vias after deleting any open trace ends To delete any unused vias make sure the design is open and choose la Design Clean Unused Vias to delete all vias that do not have any trace segments or copper areas connected to them National Instruments Corporation 8 9 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly Exporting a File NI Ultiboard User Manual Exporting a file refers to producing an output from Ultiboard in a format that can be understood by the equipment at the board manufacturer An exported file contains complete information describing how a finished board is to be manufactured There are many different manufacturing techniques used to produce printed circuit boards and Ultiboard can produce a wide variety of outputs to meet these needs It is important to talk to your production house and identify all the files and formatting information they need to support their manufacturing process You can export a file in the following formats e Gerber photoplotter 274X or 274D e DXF e 3D DXF refer to the Exporting to 3D DXF section of Chapter 9 Viewing Designs in 3D for information e 3D IGES refer to the Exporting to 3D IGES section of Chapter 9 Viewing Designs in 3D for information e IPC D 356A Netlist refer to the Exporting the Desired File section for in
216. n will not drop the part only pressing the left mouse button will 5 Adjust the Fullscreen mode box settings as desired Show scrollbars Places vertical and horizontal scrollbars in the fullscreen view Use these to move to the desired area on the workspace e Autopan Automatically moves the view of the workspace as you move the cursor offscreen 6 Increase or decrease the Undo buffer size as desired The number here is the number of undo actions allowed 7 In the File box enable Load last file on startup if you would like to continue working on the last file you had open in your previous Ultiboard session 8 Select the desired settings in the Mouse Wheel Behavior box 10 4 ni com 9 Chapter 10 Using Mechanical CAD In the Auto save settings box e Enable auto save Activates the autosave function When activated you can also change the time between autosaves in the Time interval minutes field 10 Edit the following as desired e Minimum control point size The size of control points on vertices and other objects e Line width cache size The number of recently used line widths Ultiboard keeps in memory Minimum cache size is 5 e Unicode Settings box If desired enable the Save TXT files as plain text checkbox e Language Select the desired language from the list You must restart Ultiboard for all dialog boxes to reflect the new setting Setting Paths for Mechanical CAD The Ultiboa
217. nced Swapping or Use Group Settings Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Part Group The group in which the part is placed You can select No Group or an existing group from the drop down list Parts groups are created in the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Part Groups Tab Use the Part Groups tab to work with part groups as described in the table below Column Description Part Group This is the group in which the part is contained Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Trace This is the minimum spacing allowed between the Clearance parts in the group and any trace You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design section for more information Part Spacing This is the minimum spacing allowed between parts in the group You can enter a value here or use the Group Editor Refer to the Working with the Group Editor of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design section for more information 1 36 ni com Spreadsheet View Chapter 1 User Interface Column Description Pin Swap If enabled allows pins for like parts to be swapped during the routing process Gate Swap
218. ndicates that the Ultiboard default value will be used for that parameter when the file is imported into Ultiboard nets net VCC trackwidth 1 000000000000 trackwidth_max 1 000000000000 trackwidth_min 1 000000000000 NI Ultiboard User Manual 2 2 ni com Chapter 2 Beginning a Design tracklength_max 1 000000000000 tracklength_min 1 000000000000 clearance_to_trace 1 000000000000 clearance_to_pad 1 000000000000 clearance_to_via 1 000000000000 clearance_to_copper 1 000000000000 routing_layer settings _locked 0 net_group The following is an example of component information from a netlist file components instance 7SEG8DIP10A U1 device SEVEN_SEG_ DECIMAL COM_A BLUE value SEVEN_SEG_ DECIMAL COM_A BLUE gateswap 0 pinswap 0 component_space 0 00000000e 000 component_group settings_locked 0 comp_variants Default1 comp_variant_independent pin 5 et 10 pintype BIDIR ategroup pingroup label D ate wai in nan Weems BIDIR pP net pintype gategroup pingroup label E g me n g g ate National Instruments Corporation 2 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 2 Beginning a Design Complete the following steps to import a netlist file 1 Select File gt Import UB Netlist navigate t
219. ne or more parts on the design before opening the Database Manager the Current selection as one part option is selected at the top of the dialog box Otherwise the Complete design contents option is selected The dialog box lists the parts in the design along with a preview of each Select the desired Target Database where the parts will be saved Select the part s to be added To select all parts click the Select All Items button or press lt Ctrl1 A gt To deselect all parts click the Unselect All Items button To rename a part highlight it and click the Rename button The part name must be unique regardless of the database category you want to place it in Click OK to add the part s to the database Adding Parts using the Add Selection to Database Command To add a part to the database using the Add Selection to Database command 1 In the design select the part to be added You can also select multiple parts that will be added as a group 2 Choose Tools Database Add Selection to Database The Insert the fpe Selected Items into the Database dialog box opens with the part illustrated in the Preview panel and the part s name in the Existing parts field unless multiple parts were selected 3 If necessary enter or edit the part s name The part name must be unique for the selected database regardless of the category it will be stored in 4 Select the database category or sub category where the select
220. nectors eee eeeeeeeseeseeeseeeseeseeseeeseeeees 4 22 Placing Holes uriniga ean a a a A tae goiaas adie A A 4 22 Placing Shapes and Graphics eee eeeeceeseeesecseseeesaeessesseeesecseeseeeaeeneeeaes 4 22 Working With JUMpers csc scscsesdesessesdsvedesds sescapes aport iosa iiaea seis iaoa aiiis 4 24 Placing JUMP r Siinne iaa 4 24 Viewing and Editing Jumper Properties 0 0 0 0 ele eee eeeeereeeeees 4 24 Working with Test Points eisio tacceetasecetcandesaueda nn e aE A R aa 4 25 Placing Test Pots sesis sctesis ses shaadesedshdstescssestssapessdetecsessasaseeaseseess 4 25 Viewing and Editing Test Point Properties 00 0 ee eeeeteeeeees 4 26 Working with Dimensions 0 cee eceeeesceeeceseeseeeeeeseceseeseeesecseensceaeenaeeaeenaes 4 26 Placing Dimensions onenei a aaa aas 4 26 Viewing and Editing Dimension Properties ssesseeseessesseeseereeseeee 4 27 Placing Parts from the Database cece eeeeseeseceseeeeeseeseeeseeseeseeeaecneesaeseeeeaeenees 4 28 Editing Parts and Shapes i csccs sitasidceassesees cess escadcassecsceeisegecsvaecassachevpesedecieuscasasdececssate 4 30 Editing a Placed Part In Place Edit eee ceeeeseeseecsseceseeeeeeeeeeceeeceneeeeaeeenee 4 30 Editing a Polygos iriennet airia irriaren apra a sass EGE a SEIIS 4 32 Viewing and Editing Through Hole Pin Properties sssesseeeseeeeresseeesresreeeees 4 33 Viewing and Editing SMT Pin Properties eee eeeeseeseceeeeeeeeeeeseeenees 4 34 Searching Fo
221. ng as desired e Import layers from file radio button Creates layer names that correspond to the original DXF files e Merge import data into existing layer radio button Merges DXF file layers into the layer chosen from the drop down list In the Units box set the following as desired Interpret units in file as radio button Select a unit of measure from the drop down list e Scale import data to fit board outline Select if you want to scale the imported data to fit the current board outline Optionally enable the Convert closed objects to filled checkbox This indicates if closed objects are to be converted to filled objects Click OK to import the file Using a Pre Defined Board Outline Complete the following steps to use a board outline from the Ultiboard database 1 Choose Place From Database to display the Get a part from the database dialog box 2 Navigate to the Board Outlines section and select the outline you want to use 3 Click OK to close the dialog 4 Click to place the board outline on the design NI Ultiboard User Manual 3 6 ni com Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Using the Board Wizard Complete the following steps to use the Board Wizard 1 EEN 2 3 National Instruments Corporation Choose Tools Board Wizard The Board Wizard Board Technology dialog box appears Enable the Change the layer technology option Choose the board technology and click Next Refer to
222. ng for Design Elements section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information ai It also displays the results of running a connectivity check Refer to the Design Menu section of Appendix A Menus and Commands for more information Note The Results tab flashes red when it contains new data NI Ultiboard User Manual Double click a line in this tab to zoom in on the corresponding area of the design 1 34 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface You can also right click an item to display a popup that contains Copy Clear Results Go to zj EN Searching For 4 Default GettingStarted 651 Tag NUMBER Value 14 Default GettingStarted GS1 Tag NUMBER Value 4 Default GettingStarted 651 Tag VALUE Value 741 Default GettingStarted GS1 Tag DEVICE Value 74 Moel h dS d Ort lt Pd tia It Getti 74HC190N_4V Results DRC Parts Part Groups Nets Net Groups SMT Pads Spreadsheet View Parts Tab Use the Parts tab to work with the parts in your design Refer to the Using the Parts Tab in the Spreadsheet View section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Column Description unlabelled The colored circle indicates whether the part has been placed on the board outline bright green or is off to the side awaiting placement dark green Orange indicates the part has been locked RefDes The part s
223. ng for Manufacturing Assembly If you elect to enlarge the size of your printout in the Zoom Options area each layer will be tiled onto as many pages as required to print the whole layer NI Ultiboard User Manual 8 18 ni com Viewing Designs in 3D Ultiboard allows you to see what the board looks like in three dimensions 3D at any time during the design The following sections explain how to set up the options for 3D viewing how to view the board in 3D and how to manipulate the view Some of the described features may not be available in your edition of Ultiboard Refer to the NI Circuit Design Suite Release Notes for a list of the features in your edition Viewing the Board in 3D he To view the board in three dimensions choose Tools View 3D A new window opens displaying a 3D representation of the board The Projects tab in the Design Toolbox indicates that you have a 3D view open in addition to the design from which the 3D view was taken National Instruments Corporation 9 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 9 Viewing Designs in 3D Design Toolbox EJ GettingStarted d cst TE 652 TE 653 TE G54 ZF css M 3D View 1 Projects To close the 3D view right click on the 3D view in the Projects tab and choose Close Window from the context menu UN Caution Changes to a design are not reflected in its 3D view if the 3D view is already open even if you sele
224. ng open ends 8 9 traces deleting 5 9 training and certification NI resources C 1 troubleshooting NI resources C 1 U unused vias deleting 8 9 user database back up B 2 user settings files 1 16 ni com V via properties 5 16 vias about 5 15 deleting unused 8 9 placing 5 15 view magnifying 2 16 shrinking 2 16 view full screen 2 15 visible grid setting 1 22 National Instruments Corporation W Web resources C 1 wire type test point 4 26 Wizard toolbar 1 13 workspace options 1 15 Index NI Ultiboard User Manual
225. ngth Unit Select mils or millimeters Dielectric Thickness H Refer to the figure below Trace Spacing S Refer to the figure below Characteristic Impedance Zo Refer to the figure below WS W TI H Where 0 1 lt WH lt 3 1 lt amp lt 15 4 Click Calculate Results of the calculation appear in the Calculation Results area They also appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View AA Note If you chose User Defined Zo in the previous step the Per Length Unit and the Differential Impedance are the only values that appear in the Calculation Results area of the PCB Differential Impedance Calculator dialog and the Results tab when you click Calculate 5 Click Close to close the PCB Differential Impedance Calculator NI Ultiboard User Manual 6 8 ni com Chapter 6 PCB Calculators Microstrip Differential Impedance Equations The equations used to perform the microstrip differential impedance calculations are ZO 87 sqrt Er 1 41 In 6 98 H 0 8 W T Tpd 58 35247 sqrt Er 1 41 CO Tpd ZO LO C0 Z0 ZO Zdiff 2 Z0 1 0 48 exp 0 96 S H Embedded Microstrip Calculations Complete the following steps to perform embedded microstrip differential impedance calculations 1 Select Tools PCB Differential Impedance Calculator 2 Select Embedded Microstrip in the Type drop down list 3 Inthe Input Data area edit the following fields as desired Or Input Length Unit Sele
226. nterface Column Description Part Group Double click to display the Select Groups dialog box where you select the part group to which you wish to assign the Keep in out You can also set this in Keep in Keep out Properties dialog box Refer to the Working with Keep in Keep out Areas section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Heights Bigger Than Assign a height z axis value to theKeep in out Can be entered directly or in the Keep in Keep out Properties dialog box Refer to the Working with Keep in Keep out Areas section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Spreadsheet View PCB Layers Tab Use the PCB Layers tab to work with layer information Column Description Layer Name The name of the layer for example Copper Top Routable Select Yes to allow trace routing on the layer select No to prevent trace routing on the layer Trace Bias Set the trace bias by selecting Horizontal Vertical or None Type The type of layer Choices are Ground Power Signal or Unassigned National Instruments Corporation 1 47 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Spreadsheet View Parts Position Tab Use the Parts Position tab to view and export part position information Column Description RefDes The part s Reference Designator Position X The part s position on the X axis
227. nts of the layer from view neither the layer nor the elements are deleted from the design ag Tip You can show or hide individual ratsnests from the Show Ratsnest column in the Nets tab of the Spreadsheet View and also from the Net Edit dialog box Refer to the Using the Netlist Editor section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual 3 4 ni com Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design To change the color of the elements in a layer click the color box beside the layer name and from the dialog box that appears choose a color All existing elements on that layer and any elements added to that layer are displayed in that color with the exception of shapes where you can chose the line or fill color from the toolbar prior to placing them Refer to the Placing Shapes and Graphics section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Working with the Board Outline The Board Outline layer is empty for new designs You can create a board outline in one of the following ways Draw a board outline using the drawing tools Refer to the Using the Drawing Tools to Create a Board Outline section for more information Import a DXF file Refer to the Importing a DXF File section for more information Place a pre defined outline from the database Refer to the Using a Pre Defined Board Outline section for more information Use the Board Wizard Refer to the Using the Board Wizard secti
228. o o U C E us 9 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o A Note To autoroute buses the topology for the nets as set in the Net edit dialog box must be set to either Daisy chain or Star and the nets must be part of a Bus Group in the Groups tab of the Net edit dialog box Refer to the Setting Group Parameters section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual 7 8 ni com Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement Complete the following steps to autoroute selected bus es 1 Select Autoroute Autoroute Selected Buses The Bus autorouting dialog box displays 2 Select the desired buses to route in the Defined bus groups area and click OK The buses are routed as in the following example o D Oo a w U amp oooo0o00000 oo oo 0000 oo00o00 oo000 Placing Automatic Test Points You can automatically place a test point on each net on your design 3 Note Testpoints may be placed either before or after autorouting the entire board Complete the following steps to automatically place test points 1 Select Place Automatic Test Points 2 Enter the following as desired e Diameter drop down list Sets the wire s diameter The Preview area changes accordingly e Board Side radio buttons Select Top or Bottom to indicate which side of the PCB the points appear on e Rotation drop down list Sets the rotation for the test point The Previe
229. o a specific pin would violate a design rule the via is not attached This does not affect the attachment of vias to pins where there is no design rule violation Refer to the Design Rules Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for information about design rules Use Pin Gate Swap checkbox Enable to allow pin gate swapping while routing to swap equivalent pins gates to result in more optimal trace connections 4 Inthe Screen Refresh During Routing area adjust the slider as desired to set the relative number of times the screen is refreshed during routing 5 If you wish to return the values to the default settings for Ultiboard click Default UN Caution The Default button sets default values for all tabs in the Routing Options dialog box National Instruments Corporation 7 11 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 7 NI Ultiboard User Manual Autorouting and Autoplacement Routing Options Cost Factors Tab You may adjust cost factor settings to control how the router costs its various routing strategies The default values are chosen carefully to give you the best balance of routing characteristics except in exceptional circumstances In general leave the cost factors at their default values unless the autorouter is not producing the results you want Any adjustments that are not carefully considered can actually worsen autorouter performance Therefore if you decide to change cost factors adjust no more t
230. o drag a part click and drag it to the location where you want it placed and release the mouse button To specify the x y coordinates to which the part is to move press the lt gt key on the numeric keypad or use the x y coordinates on the status bar to get a precise reading on the location of the cursor When you are on the exact location of the part release the mouse button Depending on your settings in the PCB Design tab of the Preferences dialog box design rule checking may be enabled while you drag This monitors for potential short circuits and clearance errors If the move would cause short circuits or clearance errors the connections are not made If connections are lost they can be restored by putting the part s pad back on the trace to which it belongs with the same net name Rubber Banding When you move a part that has connected traces its connections will be maintained this is called Rubber Banding Complete the following steps to enable rubber banding 1 Inthe Autorouter Settings area of the General tab of the Trace Properties dialog box select Trace can be moved 2 Inthe Part Drag area of the PCB Design tab of the Preferences dialog box select Re route after move 3 Unlock any locked traces by right clicking on the trace and selecting Unlock from the pop up that appears Shoving Parts Part shoving allows you to move one part and have Ultiboard automatically push other parts on the board out of th
231. o the desired file for example Getting Started 2 EWNET and click Open The Default Trace Width and Clearance dialog box appears 2 Enter the desired Units Width and Clearances values and click OK The Import Netlist Action Selection dialog box appears 3 Select the desired actions for example Add New Net vcc and click OK A board outline is placed on the workspace with the parts ready to be placed Working with Projects Designs and projects appear in the Projects tab of the Design Toolbox ee Hedda A Gettingstarted a Project TF 651 TE 652 TE 653 ik c54 e Design TF css Projects Layers To open a project or design shown in the Projects tab click on it or right click on it and from the context menu choose Open Window To rename a design right click on it and from the context menu choose Rename You can then type a new name for the design a 0 To delete a design shown in the Projects tab right click on it and from the context menu choose Remove Design To delete a project file delete it from its current location on the system NI Ultiboard User Manual 2 4 ni com Chapter 2 Beginning a Design Opening an Existing File Complete the following steps to open an existing file 1 Choose File Open A standard file selection dialog box appears with the Files of Type list defaulted to Ultiboard files 2 Inthe Files of type list choose the kind of f
232. oard interface and information on the other components of NI Circuit Design Suite refer to Getting Started with NI Circuit Design Suite Toolbars The toolbars provide a quick convenient way for you to access the most common Ultiboard functions You can toggle toolbars on and off using the View Toolbars menu National Instruments Corporation 1 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Standard Toolbar NI Ultiboard User Manual The Standard toolbar contains buttons for basic editing functions and appears by default when you run Ultiboard The Standard toolbar buttons are described in the table below Button Description E New File button Creates a new project if none are currently open or a new design if a project is currently open Refer to the Creating a Project and Creating a Design sections of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information Open File button Opens an existing project Refer to the Opening an Existing File section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information Open Sample button Opens the samples folder Save File button Saves the active design to its current name and directory Refer to the Saving and Closing section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information Print button Displays the Print dialog Refer to the Printing your Design section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information Cut bu
233. ocked toolbars in place in different ways Select Options Lock Toolbars e Enable Lock all docked toolbars from the Toolbars tab of the Customize dialog box Refer to the Toolbars Tab section for more information e Right click in any toolbar and select Lock Toolbars from the pop up menu that appears 3 Note Ifthe Lock Toolbars option is enabled floating toolbars will be locked in place if you move them to a docked position Tip To drag a docked toolbar to a different location when Lock Toolbars is enabled hold down lt A1t gt and drag the toolbar with your mouse When Lock Toolbars is disabled the drag bars on all docked toolbars display as shown in the figure below 1 Grab the toolbar by the drag bar to move it one sJan 1 Drag Bar aye Note If the Lock Toolbars option is enabled the drag bars do not appear Toolbar Behavior When Ultiboard Size is Reduced If you reduce the size of Ultiboard some of the buttons in larger toolbars may become hidden If this happens the More Buttons icon appears as shown in the figure below 1 Dee o 1 More Buttons Icon Click the More Buttons icon to display the hidden buttons NI Ultiboard User Manual 1 14 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface B Note Text boxes and drop down lists do not display when Ultiboard s size is reduced To show these make Ultiboard large enough to show all toolbar buttons without the More Buttons icon
234. ode Set using Design Set Reference Point A pad without a drill hole drill diameter property in the pad code set to 0 Displays useful and important information at the bottom of your screen NI Ultiboard User Manual Glossary T Thermal Relief Through Hole Via Trace Code V Vertex Via Visual Grid W Workspace NI Ultiboard User Manual Area around a pin where no copper appears but which is crossed by copper lines to make connections A thermal relief is used to dissipate heat during the soldering process Normal via The system provides 32 trace codes each with a width and clearance Clearance describes the space required between pads and pads between traces and pads and between traces and traces This free space is continuously checked by the real time design rule check Trace code specifications can be exported as part of the design rules A vertex is a point of a polygon A side of a polygon connects two vertices A plated through hole in a printed circuit board used to route a trace vertically from one layer to another Provides a visual reference for you to visually align parts and traces The part of the screen where you build your design G 4 ni com Index Numerics 3D view controlling elements in 9 3 manipulating 9 2 using 9 1 Viewer options 1 21 A Add groups dialog box 3 11 Add Net dialog 5 21 Adding teardrops 5 13 Advanced Net Shielding Options dialog
235. ole pin resides Units The unit of measurement To Trace The minimum space between the through hole pin and any trace To control the shape and size of the through hole pin use the Pad tab The preview in the Shape area of this tab shows the pad as it was created the Selection Preview shows how the pad appears on the workspace National Instruments Corporation Shape box Choose options to control the shape of the through hole pin Shape settings can be set differently for each layer if desired Pad Size box Choose the appropriate option and where necessary value for the pad size Solder Mask box Choose the solder mask layer where the pad appears Hole box Choose the hole type If you choose Advanced Hole and click Properties the Through Hole Pin Properties dialog appears Refer to the Placing Holes section for more information 4 33 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Viewing and Editin NI Ultiboard User Manual Use the Layer Settings tab to add copper rings to through hole pins or vias on specified layers 1 Enable the Copper Ring checkbox for layers to which you wish to add a connection to the through hole pin or via 2 Enable the Allows Autorouting checkbox for the desired layers This option is for autorouting only It does not affect Netlist and DRC checks You cannot allow autorouting for layers that do not have a copper ring 3 Optionally click Define Drill Settings to
236. on for more information Using the Drawing Tools to Create a Board Outline Complete the following steps to create a new board outline using the drawing tools 1 Double click the Board Outline layer in the Layers tab of the Design Toolbox Using Place Shape draw the shape you want for your board outline For example choose Place Shape Rectangle and drag the mouse until the rectangle is the desired height and length Click to anchor it in place 3 Note To draw the shape based on precise coordinates press the asterisk key on the numeric keypad or press lt Shift 8 gt The Enter coordinate dialog box appears Enter the X and Y coordinates and press OK Continue to use the asterisk key or lt Shift 8 gt for the remaining coordinates You can mix the use of the asterisk key or lt Shift 8 gt and clicking to position each corner To edit the properties of the placed board outline select the outline and select Edit Properties You must be on the Board Outline layer National Instruments Corporation 3 5 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Importing a DXF File Complete the following steps to import a DXF board outline from a CAD program such as AutoCAD 1 iF 2 Choose File Import DXF A standard file selector appears Navigate to the correct location for the dxf file select it and click OK The DXF import settings dialog box appears In the Layers box set the followi
237. onger than the other In these cases you should either change your minimum or maximum length settings or route these problematic connections with Ultiboard s follow me router to achieve the desired length National Instruments Corporation 7 17 NI Ultiboard User Manual Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly The following sections explain the basic functions you need to perform to prepare your board for manufacturing Some of the described features may not be available in your edition of Ultiboard Refer to the NJ Circuit Design Suite Release Notes for a list of the features in your edition Placing and Editing Text Text can be placed anywhere on the design and on any layer regardless of what element is selected Complete the following steps to place text on the design j 1 Choose Place Graphic Text The Text dialog box opens 2 Type the text in the Value field As you type the text appears in the preview dialog box 3 Define the following parameters for the text as desired e Line Font radio button Enable and select one of Thin Normal or Bold Or e Windows Font radio button Enable if you wish to use a Windows font Click the Font button and select the desired Windows font 3 Note Ultiboard supports multi byte fonts so that Chinese Japanese Korean and other users can make full use of Microsoft fonts for special characters e Select the desired Height Layer and Color Inthe Alignment box
238. ore of the top of the board e To the top of the screen to view the edge and then the underside of the board e To the left or right to view the board from either end Complete the following steps to pan the 3D view 1 Hold down your mouse wheel The pointer becomes a four headed arrow 2 Move the pointer in any direction Complete the following steps to turn the board over 1 Click and hold on the board 2 Move the pointer up towards the top of the screen As the view of the edge passes release the mouse button and catch the underside of the board 3 Continue until you can see the underside of the board fully To zoom in a 3D design do one of the following e Click and hold the right mouse button Roll the mouse up to zoom in and down to zoom out Or e Use View Zoom In and View Zoom Out You can also use your mouse wheel if available Controlling the Elements Viewed in 3D The Design Toolbox in the 3D view also has a Layers tab The layers on this tab do not necessarily correspond to the layers in the design but they work the same way as the Layers tab does in designing the 3D Layers tab allows you to dim or remove elements from the board Refer to the Accessing Layers section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information A typical 3D Layers tab has a Parts Silkscreen Copper Board and Pins layer National Instruments Corporation 9 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 9 Viewing Designs i
239. ored inside projects allowing you to group them together for easy access In this way all designs that have a logical connection between them that is they may all relate to a specific project are conveniently located in one file Creating a Project Complete the following steps to create a new project file 1 2 3 National Instruments Corporation Choose File New Project The New Project dialog box appears Type the project name in the Project name field From the Design type drop down list select PCB Design The other option allows you to use Ultiboard s CAD capabilities for example front panels enclosures Refer to the Using Mechanical CAD section for more information about these capabilities Indicate the folder where the file is to be kept Either accept the default shown in the Location field or click the browse button to select a different location Click OK The New Project dialog box disappears and a blank design is opened with the same name as that of the project file The file you just created is also shown in the Projects tab of the Design Toolbox along with its corresponding design 2 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 2 Beginning a Design Creating a Design A design is created automatically when you create a project file You can also create a design and assign it to an existing project file Remember that a design must always be associated with a project Complete the following
240. orkspace ay Note For this feature to function you must allow pin gate swapping in the Spreadsheet View and in the Design Rules tab of the PCB properties dialog box Complete the following steps to swap pins and gates automatically after a part move 1 Move desired parts on the workspace 2 Select Design Automatic Pin Gate Swap Pins and gates are swapped to achieve the most efficient routing of nets possible The above figure shows U1 before the automatic pin gate swap Note the position of the ratsnests NI Ultiboard User Manual 5 38 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper The figure below shows U1 after the automatic pin gate swap Note the new position of the ratsnests Real Time Pin Gate Swapping This feature allows you to swap pins and or gates automatically in real time as you move parts on the workspace i Note For this feature to function you must allow pin gate swapping in the Spreadsheet View and allow real time swapping in the Design Rules tab of the PCB properties dialog box National Instruments Corporation 5 39 NI Ultiboard User Manual PCB Calculators The following sections explain how to use Ultiboard s PCB Calculators Some of the described features may not be available in your edition of Ultiboard Refer to the NI Circuit Design Suite Release Notes for a list of the features in your edition PCB Transmission Line Calculator To control reflect
241. ormation a 3 To add a pin choose Place Pins The Place Pins dialog box displays NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 30 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Place Pins Spacing Vertical 78 74016 Rows 1 ane 39 37008 Drill Diameter Horizontal 78 74016 Columns 4 4 Top Round Standard v Inner Round Standard v Bottom Round Standard v SMD Pin mil 4 Preview EL EV EVE tl 4 Indicate the pad type THT or SMD and its dimensions and spacing Changes appear in the Preview panel When you have made the necessary settings click OK The pad is attached to the pointer Click on the part to place it 5 When finished choose Edit In Place Part Edit again to end the In Place Edit function The part appears with its changes 3 Note You can save your edited part in the database for future use Refer to the Adding Parts using the Add Selection to Database Command section for more information National Instruments Corporation 4 31 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts Editing a Polygon A vertex is a point on a polygon You can add or remove vertices from polygons whether copper or non copper Vertex Complete the following steps to add a vertex to any line segment of a polygon 1 Select the line a selected line segment will have filled selection boxes while the other selection boxes in the polygon will be open 2 Select Edit V
242. orporate database back up B 1 cross probing 4 36 Customize dialog Commands tab 1 49 Keyboard tab 1 51 Menu tab 1 51 Options tab 1 51 pop up menus 1 51 Toolbars tab 1 50 D database adding parts to from design 4 47 adding parts to using Database Manager 4 47 categories about 4 45 categories copying 4 45 categories creating 4 45 managing 4 43 placing parts from 4 28 sub categories deleting 4 46 database categories about 4 45 copying 4 45 creating 4 45 NI Ultiboard User Manual l 2 Database Manager about 4 43 panels of 4 43 using to create parts 4 37 Database merge 4 48 database sub categories deleting 4 46 density bars 5 6 design adding parts to database 4 47 adding to project 2 2 closing 2 11 creating 2 2 preview print 8 17 printingprint negative 8 16 refreshing 2 16 saving 2 11 viewing in 3D 9 1 design rule check running 8 9 type of errors 3 10 using 3 10 design rule errors viewing 3 10 Design Toolbox overview 1 29 using 4 2 diagnostic tools NI resources C 1 dimensions default 1 20 placing 4 26 properties 4 27 type 4 26 documentation conventions used in the manual vi NI resources C 1 DRC tab 1 32 ni com drivers NI resources C 1 Duplicate Component Name dialog 4 48 DXF export properties 8 12 importing 3 6 importing into mechanical CAD design 10 3 E Edit Groups dialog 3 11 Bus Groups tab 3 18 Differential Pairs tab 3 21 Net Gro
243. oss sections of your board The higher their density at any given cross section the more difficulty you will have routing traces through that section of the board and the more copper is used in that area When placing parts you should strive to achieve relatively equal density distributions to avoid difficult to route areas As the design s pin pad density gets heavier the color of the density bars changes from green to red When you start Ultiboard the density bars are toggled off by default If you toggle the density bars on they appear on the right side and underneath the design To toggle the density bars on or off again choose View Density Bars 5 6 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Working with Keep in Keep out Areas A Keep in area is a polygon that you set so that when objects are moved outside of it a DRC error is generated Conversely a Keep out area generates a DRC error when objects are moved into it Placing Keep in Keep out Areas The Keep in Keep out properties dialog box lets you place a polygon that will act as either a Keep in or a Keep out area By default a Keep out is placed Complete the following steps to add a restricted area 1 Choose Place Keep in Keep out Area 2 Left click all points that are to define the polygon ending with the starting point Viewing and Editing Keep in Keep out Properties To display the Keep in Keep out properties dialog box select the desired kee
244. oup as described earlier in this section e Remove nets from the group using Remove All button Click to remove all Assigned Nets from the group Remove button Select the nets you wish to remove from the group in the Assigned Nets list and click Remove Click Apply Optionally highlight the desired group in the Groups list and click the Properties button to display the Change group settings dialog box Make the required changes in the Group Settings area and click OK 3 Note Refer to the Change Group Settings dialog box and Net Group Settings sections for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual 3 14 ni com Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Complete the following steps to delete a group 1 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box 2 Select the Net Groups tab 3 Highlight the desired group in the Groups list and click Delete UN Caution No confirmation is given and the Delete action cannot be undone Working with Part Groups Complete the following steps to create a part group 1 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box 2 Click the Part Groups tab 3 Click Add The Add group dialog box appears 4 Enter the desired name and click OK The Change group settings dialog box appears 5 Change the settings in the Group Settings area as desired Sy Note Refer to the Change Group Settings dialog box and Part Group Settings sections for more information
245. p in out and select Edit Properties The Keep in out layer must be active The Keep in Keep out properties dialog box consist of two tabs Attributes and Keep in keep out The Attributes tab allows you to edit the properties of the selected area For more information on editing properties in the Attributes tab refer to the Attributes section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts The Keep in Keep out tab lets you set specific parameters Complete the following steps to set Keep in Keep out parameters 1 Inthe Type box select either Keep out or Keep in 2 In the Layers box check the layers to which the Keep in out applies 3 Optionally enter the a Name for the Keep in out area National Instruments Corporation 5 7 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper 4 Optionally click on one of the following checkboxes in the Advanced options area and then click the Options button when it becomes active e Net Group Displays the Select Groups dialog box where you select the net groups to which you wish to apply the Keep in out e Part Height Displays the Part Height Ranges dialog box where you enter the height of parts to which you wish the Keep in out area to apply e Part Group Displays the Select Groups dialog box where you select the part groups to which you wish to apply the Keep in out area 5 Click OK in the Keep in Keep out Properties dialog box If no Advanced options are set e A DRC
246. p to date contact information support phone numbers email addresses and current events NI Ultiboard User Manual C 2 ni com Glossary Symbol Prefix Value p pico 10 2 n nano 10 u micro 10 6 m milli 10 3 k kilo 103 M mega 10 G giga 10 T tera 10 A Active Layer The layer on which any actions you choose will be performed All Angle Routing Routing that allows both 90 and 45 angles Aperture Code Identifies the type of aperture to be used by the Gerber output Birds Eye View The small window that appears by default at the top left of the screen Gives you an overview of your complete PCB with parts shown as outlines Allows you to quickly navigate through your board or display a specific area of the design sized as you wish Blind Via A via that connects the top or bottom layer with any inner layer Buried Via A via that connects inner layers National Instruments Corporation G 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Glossary C Chamfer Corners Copper Area Copper Island D Design Toolbox DRC F Feedthrough Via Force Vector Grid Mouse Grid Net Netlist Normal Feed Through Via NI Ultiboard User Manual Corners at an increment of 45 on the trace routes A copper polygon A copper area that is not connected to any other copper By default appears on left side of screen Consists of multiple tabs used to manage a design Design Rul
247. part with its contents displayed National Instruments Corporation 8 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly NI Ultiboard User Manual Complete the following steps to pin a comment to a part or the workspace 1 Double click on the Comment layer in the Design Toolbox to make it the active layer Select Place Comment The Comment dialog box appears If desired enable the Show Comment checkbox to show the contents of the comment on the design Type the comment in the area below the Show Comment checkbox Optionally modify the information in the Color box e Background Click to change the color of the placed comment s background e Text Click to change the color of the placed comment s text When you click either Background or Text the Select color dialog box displays Enable the Use named color checkbox and select an element from the Name drop down list Or Disable the Use named color checkbox and select a color from the Colors pallette Click OK to return to the Comment dialog box 8 4 ni com Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly 6 Inthe Size area e Auto Resize checkbox Enable to have the size of the displayed comment automatically resized to fit the text Disable if you wish to set the size of the displayed comment by typing values into the Width and Height fields 7 Inthe Font area set the font Name Style and Size as de
248. place a solder mask on the top of the PCB e Bottom checkbox Enable to place a solder mask on the bottom of the PCB In the Via Settings box set the following as desired e Use Design Rules radio button Select to use the settings in the Pads Vias tab of the PCB Properties dialog box e Pad Diameter radio button Select to enter the diameter of the selected via s pad in the drop down list The Landing Pad and Drill Diameter drop down lists are also activated enter the desired values in these In the Layer Settings list enable which layers to Allow Autorouting Complete the following steps to change the settings in the Thermal Relief tab l 2 National Instruments Corporation Set the width of the thermal relief s spokes in the Spoke Width area Enable the desired radio button in the Type area to se the shape of the thermal relief If you do not wish to use thermal relief for the via select No thermal relief 5 17 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Placing SMD Fanouts NI Ultiboard User Manual The Fanout SMD command attaches vias to each pin of either a selected surface mount device SMD or all SMDs on the board Complete the following steps to place SMD fanouts 1 Optionally select the part s to which you wish to apply fanouts as in the example shown in the figure below EHH 9 TTD 2 Select Design Fanout SMD The Fanout Options
249. placer can place parts gets smaller Reducing the part spacing allows the autoplacer to pack parts more densely Use part rotation If you restrict part rotation the autoplacer is not able to reorient the parts for the most efficient fit on the board Use a less restrictive rotation mode setting to allow Ultiboard to reorient the parts as necessary Allow SMD mirroring Allows Ultiboard to place parts on both sides of the board This doubles the area on which the autoplacer can arrange parts and eases the space requirements on the top side of the board B Note All of the above are set up in the Autoplace tab of the Routing Options dialog box Refer to the Controlling the Autoplacer section for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual Use smaller Keep out or Keep in areas Often a PCB with Keep in areas can be designed with an equivalent set of Keep out areas or vice versa Whenever possible choose a design strategy that minimizes the total area of the board covered by these Keep in or 7 4 ni com Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement Keep out areas since each area radically decreases the autoplacement algorithms effectiveness e With very dense boards the last few parts may need to be hand placed The autoplacement algorithms have been carefully tuned to optimize the routability of the final layout rather than trying to pack all the parts into the smallest possible area If the autoplacer places all but one or two parts
250. plete the following steps to view a Gerber RS 274D file 1 Select File Open to display a standard file selection dialog box 2 Choose Gerber Files gbr in the Files of type list 3 Select the desired file and click Open The Gerber D import dialog box displays 4 Do the following in the Gerber D import box e Aperture file Enter the desired aperture file path and name The aperture file defines the tools that will be used during the board manufacturing process iy Note The Gerber Viewer supports only aperture files created by Ultiboard during the Gerber RS 274D export process refer to the Exporting a File subject for more information e m n Select the desired parameter format from this drop down list Gerber D numbers have no decimal place so m is the number of digits to the left of the implied decimal place and n is the number of digits to the right of the implied decimal place For example a parameter written with 2 5 selected will appear similar to 1256565 meaning 12 56565 e Metric checkbox Select to have units set to millimetres If this is not selected units are in inches 5 Click OK The file appears in the Gerber Viewer in Ultiboard NI Ultiboard User Manual 2 6 ni com Chapter 2 Beginning a Design Complete the following steps to view the opened Gerber files and work with layers 1 Select Gerber Layers in the Projects tab of the Design Toolbox The Gerber Viewer displays simi
251. prong should be placed 5 Click to drop the second prong of the jumper 6 Click to drop the first prong of another jumper or right click to cancel the Place Jumper command Once both prongs have been placed jumpers can be moved oriented and aligned like parts Viewing and Editing Jumper Properties Complete the following steps to edit the properties of a jumper that you have placed on the design 1 Select the jumper 2 Choose Edit Properties Or Right click and select Properties from the context menu that appears The Jumper Properties dialog appears consisting of three tabs Attributes Line and Jumper NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 24 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts To edit a jumper s attributes use the Attributes tab Refer to the Aftributes section for more information To control the coordinates for the jumper s starting and ending points use the following from the Line tab e X1 tThe X coordinate of the jumper s starting point e X2 The X coordinate of the jumper s ending point e Y1 tThe Y coordinate of the jumper s starting point e Y2 The Y coordinate of the jumper s ending point e Units Units of measurement To control the jumper s wire and pin type use the following in the Jumper tab e Diameter Sets the wire s diameter e Board Side buttons Select the side of the board on which the jumper appears e Pin Type box Choose the type of technology for t
252. pter 4 Working with Parts for more information Orientation 90 Clockwise Flips the selected elements 90 degrees clockwise Refer to the Orienting Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Orientation Flips the selected elements 90 degrees counter clockwise Refer to 90 CounterCW the Orienting Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Orientation Angle Specifies the angle of rotation for the selected elements Refer to the Orienting Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Orientation Swap Layer Swaps the selected elements from a layer to its mirror layer for example from Copper Top to Copper Bottom Refer to the Orienting Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Align Align Left Aligns the left edges of the selected elements Align Align Right Aligns the right edges of the selected elements Align Align Top Aligns the top edges of the selected elements Align Align Bottom Aligns the bottom edges of the selected elements Align Align Center Moves the selected elements horizontally so their centers are Horizontal aligned Align Align Center Moves the selected elements vertically so their centers are aligned Vertical National Instruments Corporation A 5 NI Ultiboard User Manual Appendix A Menus and Commands Command Description Alig
253. pulate the view of the part click in the Preview area and use any of the following e Show Dimensions button Displays selected dimensions of the part unit of measure is set from the Units drop down list To change the displayed dimensions click on the down arrow beside the Show Dimensions button e Zoom In button Click to zoom in on the part for more detail You can also press the lt F8 gt key e Zoom Out button Click to zoom out Shows less detail and more of the whole part You can also press the lt F9 gt key e Zoom Window button Click or press lt F6 gt and then drag a rectangle around the portion of the part you want to enlarge The area inside the rectangle enlarges to fill the Preview panel e Zoom Full button Click to view the entire part You can also press lt Ctr1l F7 gt 2 eee e Mouse Wheel If your mouse has a center wheel you can use it to zoom in and out on the part e Scroll bars When the part has been enlarged beyond the borders of the Preview area scroll bars appear that you can move in the usual manner to locate the desired section of a part 4 Click OK The Get a part from the Database dialog box disappears and the Enter Reference Designation for Part dialog box appears 5 Enter the part s REFDES Reference Designator and Value for example 20 ohms for a resistor and click OK 6 Move the pointer over the board The selected part is attached to the pointer 7 When th
254. r Refer to the PCB Differential Impedance Calculator section of Chapter 6 PCB Calculators for more information Removes or add nets and pads Refer to the Using the Netlist Editor section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Sets up and edits various group types Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Quick Layer Toggle Toggles between the last copper layer or to the opposite copper layer if the last layer was not copper Renumber Parts Renumbers parts in preparation for production Refer to the Renumbering Parts section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information Equi space Traces Equally spaces selected traces Refer to the Equi Spacing Traces section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Change Shape Substitutes a part from the database for the current selected part Refer to the Replacing Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Update Shapes Adds the necessary 3D information to the footprints in the file Use if you loaded Ultiboard V 5 files into Multisim and plan to view the design in 3D Highlight Selection in Multisim Highlights a selected part in Multisim Refer to the Cross probing section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Capture Screen Area View 3D Show or Hide Height
255. r Program are business entities independent from National Instruments and have no agency partnership or joint venture relationship with National Instruments Patents For patents covering National Instruments products technology refer to the appropriate location Help Patents in your software the patents txt file on your media or the National Instruments Patent Notice at ni com patents WARNING REGARDING USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS 1 NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS ARE NOT DESIGNED WITH COMPONENTS AND TESTING FOR A LEVEL OF RELIABILITY SUITABLE FOR USE IN OR IN CONNECTION WITH SURGICAL IMPLANTS OR AS CRITICAL COMPONENTS IN ANY LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS WHOSE FAILURE TO PERFORM CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INJURY TO A HUMAN 2 IN ANY APPLICATION INCLUDING THE ABOVE RELIABILITY OF OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE PRODUCTS CAN BE IMPAIRED BY ADVERSE FACTORS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FLUCTUATIONS IN ELECTRICAL POWER SUPPLY COMPUTER HARDWARE MALFUNCTIONS COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEM SOFTWARE FITNESS FITNESS OF COMPILERS AND DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE USED TO DEVELOP AN APPLICATION INSTALLATION ERRORS SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC MONITORING OR CONTROL DEVICES TRANSIENT FAILURES OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS HARDWARE AND OR SOFTWARE UNANTICIPATED USES OR MISUSES OR ERRORS ON THE PART OF THE USER OR APPLICATIONS DESIGNER ADVERSE FACTORS SUCH AS THESE ARE HEREAFTER COLLECTIVELY TE
256. r and Replacing Parts eee eeceseeseeeecneceseeseeeeeeaecesesseseeeesesseeeaeeaeees 4 35 Searching for Parts in Open Designs 000 0 eee ee eeeeceeseeeeeseeeeeeseeeseeaeesseeseees 4 35 Locating a Part in a DeSign oo eee eects ceeceneeeceeseteeesseeeeeaeceeeaecneeeaeeneeeaes 4 36 Replacing Parts s i czsescscsgescscthck tas an tsa tack Seassessbedteasscbeiacds coeds aa teed 4 36 Cross probing sirere eais A A EEE EE E A ESA 4 36 Creating New Parts cniinn eiai i ar s aana tia ea ea IRo rpi a EES ded SOE Opia ESEE 4 37 Using the Database Manager to Create a Part eee eeeeeeeeeseceeeeneeseeenees 4 37 Using the Part Wizard to Create a Part eee eeeeseereceseeseceseeseeeseeeeenees 4 38 Managing the Databases ireirini isinsi aeri n i sptvtees i i na 4 43 Working with Database Categories s eessesessersseeresrersersrssrereeresrsrrsrsresresese 4 45 Adding Parts to the Database ee e ee ecececesceseeeseteesseeseeeaeeseeesecseeeaeeaeenaes 4 46 Adding Parts using the Database Managet sccesseeeseeeereeeneeeees 4 47 Adding Parts using the Add Selection to Database Command 4 47 Merging and Converting Databases cece eeeesecesceeeeceeseceneeseeseeeaeeseeesecseenseeaeenaes 4 48 Merging Databases nini inn aeia e cues sendoenabevoacseds 4 48 Converting Database Ssi irori sees a A a aa 4 49 NI Ultiboard User Manual xii ni com Contents Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Placing Trace Snein pennn cas sav
257. rameters Supported in Gerber Viewer Gerber RS 274 X The most commonly used Gerber RS 274X parameters are supported by the Gerber Viewer These include Parameter Description AM Defines named aperture macros constructed from primitives Supported primitives types are circle line centered line lower left line outline polygon moir and thermal Only variable modifiers without numerical operators are supported AD Defines standard aperture descriptions Supported apertures are circle C rectangle R obround O polygon P and aperture macro M FS Sets the format for coordinate data and options for code length Only absolute coordinate mode is supported LN Set the name of the layer MI Mirrors all data following the parameter about the X and or Y axis MO Sets the units for coordinate and dimension data OF Offsets the image from the origin SR Duplicates all data following the parameter at specified intervals National Instruments Corporation 2 9 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 2 Beginning a Design Gerber RS 274D The most commonly used Gerber RS 274D codes are supported by the Gerber Viewer Codes may be specified with and without leading zeroes Supported codes include D codes Code Description D01 Turns on exposure D02 Turns off exposure D03 Flashed aperture D10 D999 Se
258. rd installation puts specific files in specific locations If necessary you can point Ultiboard to a new location Complete the following steps to set up file locations for mechanical CAD files 1 a Choose Options Global Preferences The Preferences dialog box appears From the Preferences dialog box click the Paths tab This tab works the same way as the one for PCB designs Refer to the Paths Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Setting Mechanical CAD Dimensions Complete the following steps to set mechanical CAD dimensions 1 Io National Instruments Corporation Choose Options Global Preferences The Preferences dialog box appears Click the Dimensions tab and set the parameters for dimensions This tab works the same way as the Dimensions tab for PCB designs Refer to the Dimensions Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information 10 5 NI Ultiboard User Manual Menus and Commands The following sections contain brief descriptions for the commands in the Ultiboard menus Some of the described menu items may not be available in your edition of Ultiboard Refer to the NJ Circuit Design Suite Release Notes for a list of the features in your edition File Menu The following table describes the commands found in the File menu Command Description New Design Creates a new design if a project is open or project if no project is open
259. reate a Part section for more information Pad Size Select Use Design Rules if you wish to use the default values set up in the PCB Properties dialog box Otherwise enable Pad Diameter and Annular Ring and enter the desired values Settings Management This is useful if you wish to have different pad types and dimensions on the same part footprint Click Add to create a new pad and then change the settings that are detailed above You can create as many of these as you like and choose between them by clicking on the lt lt and gt gt buttons Remove any undesired pad types by clicking Remove To change a pad type on the part use the lt lt and gt gt buttons to select the desired pad in the lower right preview area and click on the pin you wish to change in the upper right part preview The part preview changes to reflect the new pad information ny Note Pad types that you make using the Add button are for the convenience of adding unique pads to the current multiple pin part If you create another part these will not be accessible from the Settings Management area NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 40 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts If you chose SMT the following options appear Circular Enable to make the pads circular and enter the desired Diameter The changes are displayed in the lower right preview area Rectangular Enable to make the pads rectangular and enter the desired X and Y dimen
260. review of the selected part with its dimensions displayed NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 8 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Complete the following steps to change the dimensions that are displayed in the Dimensions View Only area 1 a eHe National Instruments Corporation Click on the arrow beside Dimensions View Only to display the pop up menu and select deselect the desired dimensions as shown in the example below Dimensions view Only gt v Horizontal Span v Vertical Span f RAAQ v Horizontal Pitch v Vertical Pitch v Pads Clear All Check All Your selections show in the preview area To manipulate the view of the part click in the Dimensions area and use any of the following Zoom In button Click to zoom in on the part for more detail You can also press the lt F8 gt key Zoom Out button Click to zoom out Shows less detail and more of the whole part You can also press the F9 key Zoom Window button Click or press F6 and then drag a rectangle around the portion of the part you want to enlarge The area inside the rectangle enlarges to fill the Preview panel Zoom Full button Click to view the entire part You can also press lt Ctr1l F7 gt Mouse Wheel If your mouse has a center wheel you can use it to zoom in and out on the part Scroll bars When the part has been enlarged beyond the borders of the Preview area scroll bars appear that you can move in the usual manner to
261. rsor changes as shown in fe y the figure below _ NI Ultiboard User Manual 3 8 ni com Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design 2 Click to place the reference point In the example below the reference point has been placed at the lower left corner of the board outline Enter coordinate dialog box Complete the following steps to set the reference point at precise X Y coordinates 1 Press the asterisk key or lt Shift 8 gt to display the Enter coordinate dialog box 2 Enter the X and Y coordinates and the desired units of measure 3 Optionally select Snap to grid to have the reference point snap to the closest grid on the workspace 3 Note Ifyou do not have a part selected and you press the key or lt Shift 8 gt the dialog is populated with the coordinates of the mouse Click OK to center the screen to these coordinates If you have a part selected when you press the key or lt Shift 8 gt the dialog is still populated with the coordinates of the mouse Click OK to move the selected part to that position National Instruments Corporation 3 9 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Design Rule Errors Design rule errors appear in the DRC tab of the Spreadsheet View as they occur and disappear as they are corrected Double click on an error in the DRC tab to zoom in on the affected area on the design which will be indicated with a red circle as shown in the ex
262. ruments Corporation All rights reserved Important Information Warranty The media on which you receive National Instruments software are warranted not to fail to execute programming instructions due to defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 90 days from date of shipment as evidenced by receipts or other documentation National Instruments will at its option repair or replace software media that do not execute programming instructions if National Instruments receives notice of such defects during the warranty period National Instruments does not warrant that the operation of the software shall be uninterrupted or error free A Return Material Authorization RMA number must be obtained from the factory and clearly marked on the outside of the package before any equipment will be accepted for warranty work National Instruments will pay the shipping costs of returning to the owner parts which are covered by warranty National Instruments believes that the information in this document is accurate The document has been carefully reviewed for technical accuracy In the event that technical or typographical errors exist National Instruments reserves the right to make changes to subsequent editions of this document without prior notice to holders of this edition The reader should consult National Instruments if errors are suspected In no event shall National Instruments be liable for any damages arising out of or related to this doc
263. s for more information Via Places a via Refer to the Working with Vias section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Test Point Places a test point Refer to the Working with Test Points section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Jumper Places a jumper Refer to the Working with Jumpers section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Net Bridge Places a net bridge on the design Refer to the Net Bridges section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Hole Places a hole on the workspace Refer to the Placing Holes section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Automatic Test Points Automatically places a test point on each net on your design Refer to the Placing Automatic Test Points section of Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement for more information National Instruments Corporation Unplace Parts Unplaces all non locked parts Refer to the Unplacing Parts section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Comment Places a comment on the design Refer to the Placing a Comment section of Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly for more information A 11 NI Ultiboard User Manual Menus and Commands Appendix A Menus and Commands Design Menu The following table describes the commands found in the Design menu Command Description Netlist amp DRC Che
264. s in Multisim Complete the following steps to perform cross probing 1 Launch Multisim and open the file that corresponds to the design you have open in Ultiboard 2 In Ultiboard select the parts that you wish to highlight in Multisim 3 Select Tools Highlight Selection in Multisim The parts are highlighted in Multisim 4 36 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Creating New Parts You can design your own parts if necessary either through the Database Manager or using the Part Wizard Using the Database Manager to Create a Part Complete the following steps to create a part 1 Choose Tools Database Database Manager 2 Click the New button above the Parts panel The Select the part you want to create dialog box appears 3 Select the type of part you want to create a net bridge custom pad shape PCB part or CAD part and click OK The Edit mode window opens 4 Design your part using the Place and Draw tools Refer to the Toolbars section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information 5 To adda pin to a PCB part or net bridge choose Place Pins The a Place Pins dialog box opens Indicate the pad type THT or SMD its dimensions and spacing and click OK The pin is attached to the pointer Click on the part to place it 6 When finished designing the part choose File Save to database as The Insert the selected Item s into the database dialog box appears with the cursor in the Existing
265. s in an open project you can search for it with the Edit Find command While this command works much like a Find function in other applications it also allows you to search for an element by name by number by shape by value or by all variables Complete the following steps to find an element in an open design 1 2 Choose Edit Find The Find dialog box appears In the Find what field enter what you want to search for You can search for an element by specifying any of the values of its attributes for example name number shape with or without wildcards If you leave this field blank you will find all elements in the design ay Note The Find what drop down list shows all the searches you have made in this session NI Ultiboard User Manual To constrain your search to only certain attributes choose from the Find special drop down list For example if you enter test in the Find what field you will find all elements with the string test in any of their attributes However if you choose Name from the Find special drop down list you will find only elements with test in their name Optionally enable the Match case and or Match whole word check boxes Click Find The search results appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View Click on the Results tab in the Spreadsheet View 2 14 ni com Chapter 2 Beginning a Design 7 To navigate to one of the found elements double click it in the Resul
266. s in the Group Settings area and click OK 3 Note Refer to the Change Group Settings dialog box and Part Group Settings sections for more information National Instruments Corporation 3 17 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Complete the following steps to delete a group 1 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box 2 Select the Part Groups tab 3 Highlight the desired group in the Groups list and click Delete UN Caution No confirmation is given and the Delete action cannot be undone Working with Bus Groups Set up a bus group for traces that you wish to route as closely together as possible during auto trace routing NI Ultiboard User Manual Complete the following steps to create a bus group 1 2 3 4 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box Click the Bus Groups tab Click Add The Add group dialog box appears Enter the desired name and click OK The newly created group appears in the Groups list 3 18 ni com Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design 5 Highlight the new group in the Groups box to display a list of nets you can add to the group in the Available Nets list as shown in the example below Edit Groups X Net Groups Part Groups Bus Groups Differential Pairs Groups ssc Nets Available Nets Assigned Nets EMOVE Add All gt gt ove All OOnononhroOne oOo
267. s tab buttons in the Spreadsheet View allow you to preview a net in relation to the board find a net highlight a selected net lock and unlock a selected net set the width and clearance of a selected net and remove the copper of a selected net Complete the following steps to preview a net 1 National Instruments Corporation Click the Show preview button to toggle the Preview function on if it is not already Click the net in the list A picture of the path the net makes on the board displays in the preview area 5 19 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Ya Md Complete the following steps to find a net in the design 1 Click the net in the list to select it 2 Click the Find the selected net button The view zooms in on the net and selects it Complete the following steps to highlight a selected net 1 Click the net in the list to select it 2 Click the Highlight selected nets button The selected net is highlighted on the design You can change the highlight color from the Color Element drop down list in the Colors tab of the Preferences dialog box Complete the following steps to lock and unlock any copper placed for a net 1 Click the net in the list to select it 2 Click the Lock the selected net button to lock an unlocked net or to unlock a locked net Complete the following steps to remove the copper of a selected net 1 Click the net in the list 2 Click
268. s tab to work with via information Column Description Assume Net The unique identifier for the net to which the via is connected Can be changed by using the drop down list Lamination Double click to display the Select the lamination that is to be used for this via dialog box where you select the layers that the via is to run between This setting cannot be changed for micro vias Pad Diameter The diameter of the via as set in the Via Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Via Properties section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Drill The diameter of the drill hole in the via as set in the Diameter Via Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Via Properties section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Trace The minimum clearance permitted between the via Clearance and traces as set in the Via Properties dialog box Refer to the Viewing and Editing Via Properties section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Locked Yes indicates that the via cannot be moved No indicates that the via can be moved Soldermask The side of the board on which the solder mask for the via is found Choices are Both Bottom None Top Type The type of via This field is read only 1 44 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Spreadsheet View Copper Areas Tab Use the Copper Areas
269. s to change the settings in the Via tab 1 Enable the Assume net checkbox to assign a specific net to the via then select the net from the drop down list 2 Inthe Via Settings box set the following as desired e Use Design Rules radio button Select to use the settings in the Pads Vias tab of the PCB Properties dialog box e Pad Diameter radio button Select to enter the diameter of the selected via s pad in the drop down list The Drill Diameter drop down list is also activated enter the desired value e Plated checkbox Check to plate the inside of the via s drill hole 5 16 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper In the Autorouter Settings box select either Via is Fixed or Via can be Moved during autorouting In the Solder Mask box select the following as desired e Top checkbox Enable to place a solder mask on the top of the PCB e Bottom checkbox Enable to place a solder mask on the bottom of the PCB If the via that you have selected is a micro via the Micro Via tab displays instead of the Via tab Complete the following steps to change the settings in the Micro Via tab 1 5 Enable the Assume net checkbox to assign a specific net to the micro via then select the net from the drop down list In the Autorouter Settings box select either Via is Fixed or Via can be Moved during autorouting In the Solder Mask box select the following as desired e Top checkbox Enable to
270. s to fill the Preview panel 4 44 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts e Zoom Full button Click to view the entire part You can also S press lt Ctr1l F7 gt e Mouse Wheel If your mouse has a center wheel you can use it to zoom in and out on the part e Scroll bars When the part has been enlarged beyond the borders of the Preview area scroll bars appear that you can move in the usual manner to locate the desired section of a part In addition there are two functions that allow you to control the information that appears in the Database and Parts panels e The Filter drop down list allows you to display only PCB parts custom PAD shapes net bridges or CAD parts in the Parts panel e The Show subtree contents checkbox lets you control the display of the subtree contents from the Database panel Working with Database Categories To make parts in the database easier to locate the database organizes them into categories and sub categories You can expand and collapse the categories and sub categories in the Database Manager just as you would in similar Windows applications click the plus to expand a category or subcategory and click the minus to collapse it While there are default categories and sub categories you can create new ones if necessary These are stored in the User Database You can copy any database category and its contents to another category or sub category The sub categories that appear
271. se to set the number of optimizer passes that are automatically activated after the autorouter achieves 100 percent completion e Optimization Direction Select Normal to instruct the optimizer to ignore layer specific preferred routing directions to keep the number of vias to a minimum Preferred Direction to instruct the optimizer to consider layer specific preferred routing directions This may increase the number of vias on your board 45 Degrees to instruct the optimizer to prefer 45 degree routing where appropriate Optionally enable the Memory Cleanup During Optimizing checkbox in the Optimizer Housekeeping area to purge the memory of unneeded information If you wish to return the values to the default settings for Ultiboard click Default UN Caution The Default button sets default values for all tabs in the Routing Options dialog box Routing Options Bus Autorouting Tab To autoroute buses the topology for the nets as set in the Net edit dialog box or the Spreadsheet View must be set to either Daisy chain or Star and the nets must be part of a Bus Group as set in the Edit Groups dialog box You can also add new Bus Groups from the Bus Autorouting tab in the Routing Options dialog box Complete the following steps to set Ultiboard bus routing options l 2 National Instruments Corporation Select the Bus autorouting tab in the Routing Options dialog box Select the desired buses to route in the Defined bus
272. seeesesseeeseesees 4 6 Dragone Parts ea css ces ee eean a AEE E EEE AEE 4 7 SHOWING Parts aes sssetias ss cases nene Eae eE evase deck dahesti Sa a VEE a S E EA EEEa 4 7 Using Ruler Bars and Guides ssseseeeeseesseeeeereresrsresresesresrrersreer 4 10 Orienting Parts s2 sc cele desseseecseess scaseg dvacabes tesass clase tubectescesenacesdenaeee tas 4 11 Aligning Shapes and Parts oo ceecececesesseeseeeseceeeeseeseeeseseeeeaeenaes 4 11 Spacing Shapes and Parts 0 0 ec eeeeseeseeeeseceeeeseeesecseeseeeeesseeseens 4 12 Placing a Group Array BOX eee eeeeseescceeeneeeseceeeseseeeeeenseeaees 4 12 Replicating Group Part Placement eee eeeeseeeeeeneeeseeeees 4 14 Wnplacing Parts a iss ccecsset sees dSesids egiestacsesssugesbass soabesedeseash a aaa a aE AR EERE Sas 4 16 National Instruments Corporation xi NI Ultiboard User Manual Contents Viewing and Editing Properties eee ceeeseeseeeseeseceseeseessecseceeesaeseseeseseaeeseeseeeaees 4 16 AUUCIDULGS aigner a aaia E a a E tiie E dads 4 16 Viewing and Editing Part Properties ssseeesseeseserseesreersresrsresresrrresrrresrrsrere 4 18 Viewing and Editing Attributes eeseseesesessessssesssstsresteresrestsresrerenresrnsesresreee 4 20 Viewing and Editing Shape Graphics Properties esseeesseeesesresesreersresreeesee 4 21 Placing Other Elements iecerei Ai sasakes asta sees sche sceead ose ssis aa EOSS as E avcedassscepestiseiass 4 22 Placing Mounting Holes and Con
273. select the desired net from the Net drop down list in the Net edit dialog box 2 Click on the Misc tab 3 In the Routing Layers area e Select layers to use for routing copper for the selected net ik Note If the selected net is part of a net group the Use Group Settings checkbox will be checked Turn this off if you wish to make changes in the Routing Layers area 4 In the Priority field e Enter the routing priority for the selected net 1 is the highest priority 2 the second highest etc Leave as None if priority routing is not required 5 In the Net Shielding area e Select which Net is used for the shield Width becomes active change as desired 3 Note Shields are copper that is placed around a selected net to act as a buffer or to shield the net from signal interferance 6 Enter desired parameters and click OK Setting Group Parameters Complete the following steps to enter group information for a net 1 Select Tools Netlist Editor and select the desired net from the Net drop down list in the Net edit dialog box 2 Click on the Groups tab Select the desired Net group from the drop down list 4 Optionally to enter a group for a bus and or differential pair for the selected net click the Bus or Differential pair radio button and select the group from the drop down list These groups are created in the Edit Groups dialog box Refer to the Working with the Group Editor section of Chapter 3
274. select the lamination that is to be used for a via This button does not appear for through hole pins Use the Thermal Relief tab to choose what type of thermal relief the pin will use when connecting to a copper area or power plane 1 Select the desired thermal relief in the Type box 2 Select the desired width of the spokes in the thermal relief from the Spoke Width drop down list g SMT Pin Properties Complete the following steps to edit SMT Surface Mount Technology properties 1 Select the desired SMT pin and select Edit Properties 2 The SMT Pin Properties dialog box appears consisiting of five tabs Attributes General Pad Thermal Relief and Pin Neck To edit an SMT pin s attributes use the Attributes tab Refer to the Attributes section for more information To edit an SMT pin s display style use the following options in the General tab e X The x axis coordinate e Y tThe y axis coordinate e Net fThe net this SMT pin is on read only e Angle degrees The angle for the pin Board side Select the Top or Bottom radio button to set the side of the board on which the SMT pin resides e Units The unit of measurement e To Trace The minimum space between the SMT pin and any trace Use the Pad tab to control the Shape and size of the through hole pin The Pad Preview on this tab shows the SMT pin as it was created the Selection Preview shows how the SMT pin appears on the workspace
275. si csie oeei irienn i eie esia eor nE EEE 1 48 C mm nds Tabona ai i es E E theses 1 49 Toolbars Tabria a a dead AE a A E dad ae Nees 1 50 Keyboard Tabisccccitectessscssecssstisatescavasussesedyh dis cased esapi aa a E E EENE staseeeeedes 1 51 Men Tabi re ra iE E E ERA 1 51 Options Tab tiecisecscisecisasctesiesescee a a RR A E E E saa gbueeetiay 1 51 Customization of Pop up MenuS sessesessssesessresrestsresteresrestsentesreresrsseners 1 51 Chapter 2 Beginning a Design About Designs and Projects ce eeesccssceseccesceeseecesceececsaceescecneceacenseeseaeenseecnseeeaeerses 2 1 Creatinga PrOJECt ssf esses edb vied a R deste vaca cowl dae vany Mast evees A E NEES 2 1 Creatimg a Design si coecdes castes E Nea ee habs sk cota eke adele ae Wace eat 2 2 Creating a Design from a Netlist File eee cece cee ceecseceseeseeeeeseeeeseseeesseeseeeseesaees 2 2 Working with Projects ii csincsiiat nai aia vinden te 2 4 Opening an Existing FUS peere e e ene EEE EEEE EAEE E E AEs 2 5 Viewing Gerber FileShennenu nenna e E E E ET 2 5 Parameters Supported in Gerber Viewer eeeseeeseeeseesreereererrerrees 2 9 Saving and Close e eren aa e E E A a E A S 2 11 Saving Technology Specifications from a Design esseessesesssrsseerssreresrsrrsresrsreseserseee 2 12 Loading Technology Files nis Shien Meneses E R E Os a a a 2 12 Selecting and Unselecting Element 20 0 0 cece ec eeeeseeseceseeseeeeeeseceeeseseensecseeeseeeeesees 2 12 Place and
276. sions The changes are displayed in the lower right preview area Rounded Corner Enable to make pads with rounded corners and enter the desired Rounded rectangle X Rounded rectangle Y and Corner Radius settings The changes are displayed in the lower right preview area Custom Pad Enable to display the Get a Part from the Database dialog box where you can selected any previously created pad shapes Refer to the Using the Database Manager to Create a Part section for more information Settings Management This is useful if you wish to have different pad types and dimensions on the same part footprint Click Add to create a new pad and then change the settings that are detailed above You can create as many of these as you like and choose between them by clicking on the lt lt and gt gt buttons Remove any undesired pad types by clicking Remove To change a pad type on the part use the lt lt and gt gt buttons to select the desired pad in the lower right preview area and click on the pin you wish to change in the upper right part preview The part preview changes to reflect the new pad information 33 Note Pad types that you make using the Add button are for the convenience of adding unique pads to the current multiple pin part If you create another part these will not be accessible from the Settings Management area 7 National Instruments Corporation Make the desired pad settings and click
277. sired 8 Click OK to close the dialog and double click at the desired location on the design to place the comment To change a placed comment s properties select the comment you must be in the Comment layer and select Edit Properties To delete a placed comment select the comment and press lt Delete gt on your keyboard Renumbering Parts 13 ee As parts are added to moved and deleted from a design their numbering changes It is easier to produce service and troubleshoot boards when parts are ordered in a logical manner You can use the Renumber parts dialog box to renumber parts in the order that you specify Parts can be renumbered by e Board side order e Renumbering direction and start location by board side e A combination of both Complete the following steps to renumber the parts in the design 1 Choose Tools Renumber Parts The Renumber parts dialog box appears 2 Select one of the following in the Board side order drop down list e Top then Bottom The parts on the top side of the PCB will be renumbered first followed by the parts on the bottom side e Bottom then Top the parts on the bottom side of the PCB will be renumbered first followed by the parts on the top side e Top Only Only the parts on the top side of the PCB will be renumbered e Bottom Only Only the parts on the bottom side of the PCB will be renumbered National Instruments Corporation 8 5 NI Ultiboard
278. steps to create a design file 1 Choose File Open and open the project to which the design is to be added 2 Choose File New Design The New Design dialog box appears Li 3 Type the design name in the Design Name field 4 From the Design Type drop down list select PCB Design Refer to the Using Mechanical CAD section of Chapter 10 Using Mechanical CAD for more information on the Mechanical CAD Design file type 5 Choose which of the open projects is to contain the design The Add to project drop down list shows only the open projects 6 Click OK The New Design dialog box disappears and a blank design with the name that you specified is opened The Projects tab shows that the new design is a part of the project file that you specified Creating a Design from a Netlist File You can create a design based on a netlist file A netlist contains information about a given board s nets the electrical connections between pins and parts Multisim generates a EWNET file which has all the details required to import the schematic into Ultiboard nye Note If PCB constraints are set in the Multisim file they will also be included in the netlist file The file also contains Trace Width Analysis results if you checked the Set Node Trace Widths Using the Results from This Analysis check box when doing the analysis in Multisim The following is an example of net information from a netlist file A value of 1 000000000000 i
279. steps to rename a database sub category 1 In the Database panel select the sub category to be renamed 2 Click the Rename button above the Database panel The name of the ije sub category is highlighted 3 Change the name as desired Complete the following steps to move a database category or sub category 1 Inthe Database panel select the category or sub category to be moved 2 Click the Move button above the Database panel The Select destination in database dialog box appears 3 Select the category or sub category where the category is to be moved The moved category will go under the item you select 4 Click OK The category is moved to the location you specified and the Select destination in database dialog box disappears Adding Parts to the Database Parts that appear on a design but do not exist in the database can be added to the database two ways e By using the Database Manager e By using Tools Database Add Selection to Database NI Ultiboard User Manual 4 46 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts Adding Parts using the Database Manager Complete the following steps to add parts from the design to the database using the Database Manager 1 4 ra 5 13 6 In the Database panel select the category within the User or Corporate Database you want to add the part to Click the Add button above the Database panel The Add new parts to database dialog box appears If you selected o
280. t on the layer The Line tab is the default when the selected copper element is a trace Complete the following steps to control the coordinates for the trace s start and end points 1 Enter the following in the Points box e X1 The X coordinate of the trace s starting point e X2 The X coordinate of the trace s ending point e Y1 tThe Y coordinate of the trace s starting point e Y2 The Y coordinate of the trace s ending point When a copper area is selected the Copper Area Properties dialog box includes a Copper Area tab Complete the following steps to set a copper area s net and parameters 1 Inthe Thermal Reliefs box select the thermal reliefs and styles desired using the following e SMD Pads checkbox Enable to have thermal relief applied to SMD pads e Padstacks checkbox Enable to have thermal relief applied to padstacks e Vias checkbox Enable to have thermal relief applied to vias e Style to Use when Referenced by Pad drop down list The thermal relief shape to use when referenced by a part s pad e Spoke Width to Use when Referenced by Pad drop down list The size of the spokes a thermal relief will have when it is referenced by a part s pad 5 14 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper 2 Inthe Remove Islands box set the parameters to remove islands using the following an island is a section of copper within the copper area that is not connected to any other copper
281. t tools that vary depending on your edition of Ultiboard These tools offer advanced autoplacement with state of the art autorouting for optimal layout of your printed circuit boards and are fully integrated with Ultiboard For details on the autorouting and autoplacement features found in your edition of Ultiboard refer to the release notes Autoplacement of Parts The following sections explain how to use the autoplacer to place parts Pre Placing Parts You may wish to pre place certain parts for example holes before autoplacing other parts Complete the following steps to lock any pre placed parts so they will not be moved by the autoplacer 1 Select the pre placed parts and choose Edit Lock 2 You can also lock parts in place from the Parts tab of the Spreadsheet View Refer to the Spreadsheet View Parts Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Understanding How the Autoplacer Works The autoplacer automatically places all unplaced parts onto your board according to group settings you can specify It uses a rip up and retry algorithm to find the best part positioning As the autoplacer runs the status line at the bottom of the screen indicates how many autoplacement passes have been completed It also indicates how many parts have been placed and how many pins have been swapped when the autoplacer performs pin gate swaps If the autoplacer cannot place all the parts it returns a message indi
282. te and edit designs It covers the ways that you can place parts on the board as well as the tools included to help you with part location and placement It also includes information on Ultiboard s parts database and editing the parts in the database and on the board Some of the described features may not be available in your edition of Ultiboard Refer to the NI Circuit Design Suite Release Notes for a list of the features in your edition Placing Parts You can place parts on the design e By dragging them from outside the board outline Refer to the Dragging Parts from Outside the Board Outline section for more information e By using the Spreadsheet View Refer to the Using the Parts Tab in the Spreadsheet View section for more information e By importing a netlist Refer to the Creating a Design from a Netlist File section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information e By selecting parts from the database Refer to the Placing Parts from the Database section for more information Note Before placing a part make sure that you are on the layer where the part is to be placed Refer to the Accessing Layers section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information Dragging Parts from Outside the Board Outline By default parts are placed outside the board outline when you open a netlist from Multisim or another schematic capture program These can be dragged to the appropriate location on the board
283. ter 1 User Interface for more information National Instruments Corporation 10 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 10 Using Mechanical CAD Controlling Workspace Elements for Mechanical CAD NI Ultiboard User Manual The General tab allows you to control whether or not invisible attributes or cross hairs are shown in normal view and options for full screen view This tab also allows you to have Ultiboard load your last project automatically and to have Ultiboard automatically save your project at specified intervals Complete the following steps to view or change workspace options 1 Choose Options Global Preferences The Preferences dialog box appears 2 Click the General tab 3 Adjust the View box settings as desired e Show invisible attributes These are set up in the Attributes tab Visibility column of the element s properties dialog e Show crosshair Displays a large crosshair that is attached to your mouse s pointer 4 Adjust the Crosshair box settings as desired e Keep always on grid Makes sure that the crosshair will always snap to grid points even when you are not placing any parts or traces normally when you are not placing parts or traces the crosshair moves gridless e Drop on left mouse button Changes the way moving of objects works Normally when you start a move the object will be dropped when you release the left mouse button When this option is enabled releasing the mouse butto
284. ter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual 1 12 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Wizard Toolbar The Wizard toolbar contains the wizard functions supported by Ultiboard The Wizard toolbar buttons are explained in the table below Button Description Board Wizard button Starts the Board Wizard Refer to the Working with the Board Outline section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information z Part Wizard button Starts the Part Wizard Refer to the Using the Part Wizard to Create a Part section of Chapter 4 Working with Parts for more information Autoroute Toolbar The Autoroute toolbar contains the autorouting and placement functions supported by Ultiboard The Autoroute toolbar buttons are explained in the table below Button Description Begin Autoplacing button Starts automatically placing parts Autoroute Selected Buses button Displays the Bus Autorouting dialog Start Trace Optimization button Starts trace optimization Start Resume Autorouting button Starts automatically placing traces Stop Pause Autorouter button a 5S 58 National Instruments Corporation 1 13 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 1 User Interface Locking Toolbars You can lock toolbars in place to prevent them from being inadvertently moved Once you have placed them as you like you can lock all d
285. ter the Start Offset and End Offset values The Part tab is where you adjust the distance of part shove spacing enter pin and gate swapping settings and enter trace clearances Refer to the Shoving Parts section for more information Viewing and Editing Attributes NI Ultiboard User Manual The attributes associated with a part that are visible on the workspace typically this is the part s Reference Designator also have properties These are made up of three tabs General Position and Attribute Complete the following steps to view an attribute s properties 1 Select the attribute for example the Reference Designator 2 Select Edit Properties The Attribute Properties dialog box appears containing three tabs General Position and Attribute To edit an attribute s display style use the following from the Line area of the General tab e Style button Sets the line style for the attribute s text line e Color button Sets the attribute s color e Width fields Set the width of the attribute s text line and the units of measurement To edit an attribute s coordinates angle and layer use the following in the Position tab e X Sets the X axis coordinate e Y Sets the Y axis coordinate e Angle degrees Sets the angle of the attribute on the PCB e Layer Sets the layer on which the attribute appears e Locked Enable to lock the attribute in place e Units Sets the unit of measurement
286. th your PCB design Mechanical CAD functionality in Ultiboard takes two forms You can create multi layer mechanical CAD design files You can have mechanical CAD layers as part of your PCB design files Design files can include up to 10 mechanical CAD layers These are accessed through the Layers tab of the Design Toolbox and can be used in the same way as other layers in your design Refer to the Accessing Layers section of Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design for more information For the most part you work with mechanical CAD designs the same way that you do with PCB designs although you cannot place traces or use the Autoroute function in mechanical CAD designs Some of the described features may not be available in your edition of Ultiboard Refer to the MI Circuit Design Suite Release Notes for a list of the features in your edition Creating Mechanical CAD Projects To create a new project LJ E National Instruments Corporation Choose File New Project The New Project dialog box appears Type the project name in the Project name field From the Design type drop down list select Mechanical CAD Indicate the folder where the file is to be kept Either accept the default shown in the Location field or click the Browse button to select a different location Click OK The New Project dialog box disappears and a blank unnamed mechanical CAD design is opened in that project The project you just created is also shown
287. the Defining Copper Layers section for more information about board technology The next step of the wizard depends on which type of technology you chose If you chose Multi layers constructed with double sided board layer pairs define the lamination settings for the board e Select Top Layer and Bottom Layer as desired e Set the number of layer pairs you intend to use by entering the value or using the up down arrows in the Layer Pairs field There should be at least one layered pair to act as a core e Select the Blind Vias or Buried Vias checkboxes to use these in your design e As you make changes to the layer settings the information window shows the acceptable layer combinations for blind and buried vias In this window select the layer combinations you want to allow in your design e Click Next If you chose Multi layers constructed with double sided boards and single layer stack ups define the lamination settings for the board as follows e Select Top Layer and Bottom Layer as desired e Set the number of layer pairs you intend to use by entering the value or using the up down arrows in the Layer Pairs field There should be at least one layered pair to act as a core e Set the number of Single Layer Build ups for both the top and bottom There should be at least one layered pair to act as a core e Select the Blind Vias Buried Vias or Micro Vias checkboxes to use these in your design e As you make ch
288. the following from the Dimensions tab as desired Units Unit of measurement Stub Length Length of dimension s stub Arrow Style The elements in this box set the arrow s characteristics Text Style The Width and Height of the text Enable the Mirror checkbox to display a mirror image of the dimension Displayed Unit Select the unit of measure to be displayed with the dimension If you select Use Design Settings the unit of measure selected in the Design Units field of the Grids amp Units tab of the PCB Properties dialog box are used This setting also appears in the Draw Settings toolbar Alignment The radio buttons in this box set the dimension s alignment Auto Left Center Right Position The radio buttons in this box set the position of the dimension Outside Inside Above Over Below Orientation The radio buttons in this box set the orientation of the dimension Auto Horizontal Vertical Placing Parts from the Database p NI Ultiboard User Manual Complete the following steps to place parts from the database 1 Choose Place From Database The Get a Part from the Database dialog box displays In the Database panel expand the categories until you find the category where the part is The parts appear in the Available Parts panel 4 28 ni com Chapter 4 Working with Parts 3 Inthe Available Parts panel select the part you need The part appears in the Preview panel To mani
289. then move the pointer to change the degree of arc me S AS R Bs Place Graphics Bezier Left click two points to draw a bezier curve between them then move the pointer to change the degree of arc After creating a shape graphic right click to cancel the Place command National Instruments Corporation 4 23 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts B Note Shapes and graphics can be moved oriented and aligned like parts and their properties can also be viewed and edited Use the properties to change the line color style and width and fill color and style if applicable Refer to the Viewing and Editing Shape Graphics Properties section for more information Working with Jumpers Placing Jumpers Default jumper pin settings are defined in the PCB Design tab of the Preferences dialog box The default pad settings are based on the settings defined in the Pads Vias tab of the PCB Properties dialog box They can be manually set to use the annular ring specification or pad diameter settings by setting the properties of the pad when the jumper has been placed on the design Complete the following steps to place a jumper 1 Be sure a copper layer is selected in the Design Toolbox P 2 Choose Place Jumper 3 Move the pointer over the design The pointer has the first prong of the jumper attached 4 Click to drop the first prong of the jumper then move the pointer to where the second
290. there is no PINGROUP information for a pin Swapping Gates This feature allows you to swap similar gates and works for the following which are set in the Pin amp Gate Swapping Settings area of the Design Rules tab of the PCB Properties dialog box e Internal Gates Only Allows gate swapping in the same IC only e Advanced Swapping Allows gate swapping internally and between similar ICs Group settings for swappable gates can be set into part groups in Ultiboard Each new part group will have its own swapping information which Ultiboard will follow National Instruments Corporation 5 35 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper The following design is used in this example Complete the following steps to swap gates between parts 1 Select Design Swap Gates The workspace changes to reflect the gates NI Ultiboard User Manual 5 36 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper 2 Select the first gate that you wish to swap by clicking on the corresponding letter 3 Click on the letter corresponding to the gate with which you want to exchange the gate you selected above The ratsnest changes to reflect the swap National Instruments Corporation 5 37 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Automatic Pin Gate Swapping This feature lets you swap pins and or gates after moving part s on the w
291. tial impedance calculations are ZO 56 In 5 98 H 0 8 W T sqrt Er 1 exp 1 55 H1 H Tpd 84 66667 sqrt Er 1 exp 1 55 H1 H CO Tpd Z0 LO CO Z0 Z0 Zdiff 2 Z0 1 0 48 exp 0 96 S H1 Centered Stripline Calculations NI Ultiboard User Manual Complete the following steps to perform centered stripline differential impedance calculations 1 Select Tools PCB Differential Impedance Calculator 2 Select Centered Stripline in the Type drop down list 6 10 ni com Chapter 6 PCB Calculators 3 Inthe Input Data area edit the following fields as desired Or Input Length Unit Select mils or millimeters Dielectric Thickness H Refer to the figure below Trace Thickness T Refer to the figure below Trace Width W Refer to the figure below Trace Spacing S Refer to the figure below Relative Permittivity epsilon r Refer to the figure below If you wish to define the Characteristic Impedance Zo yourself click User Defined Zo and edit the following fields as desired Input Length Unit Select mils or millimeters Dielectric Thickness H Refer to the figure below Trace Spacing S Refer to the figure below Characteristic Impedance Zo Refer to the figure below Where 0 1 lt W H lt 2 T H lt 0 25 1K amp lt 15 4 Click Calculate Results of the calculation appear in the Calculation Results area They also appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet Vie
292. tial Pairs 3 11 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design Working with Net Groups Net groups are useful when you want to change the parameters of a number of nets at the same time Refer to the Spreadsheet View Nets Groups Tab section of Chapter 1 User Interface for more information Complete the following steps to create a net group 1 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box 2 Click the Net Groups tab 3 Click Add The Add group dialog box appears 4 Enter the desired name and click OK The Change group settings dialog box appears 5 Change the settings in the Group Settings area as desired aye Note Refer to the Change Group Settings dialog box and Net Group Settings sections for more information 6 Click OK to return to the Net Groups tab The newly created group appears in the Groups list NI Ultiboard User Manual 3 12 ni com Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design 7 Highlight the new group in the Groups box to display a list of nets you can add to the group in the Available Nets list as shown in the example below Edit Groups Net Groups Part Groups Bus Groups Differential Pairs Groups Groupi Nets Available Nets Assigned Nets EMOVE Add All gt gt ove All OOnononhroOne oOo 8 Select the desired nets in the Available Nets list you can use the lt Ctrl gt and lt Shift gt keys to select m
293. toplacement e Trace Crossing Cost Factor Sets the trace transition cost factor which the router and optimizer use to control cleanup pattern recognition during multi net optimization A high trace crossing cost factor permits complex routing with many traces crossing each other This creates a relatively large number of vias A low factor leads to more intensive and time consuming analysis during cross net optimization Relatively few vias are produced e Adjusted Width Cost Factor When Auto Adjust Width is selected in the General tab a high adjusted width cost factor limits the router s use of narrow trace widths 3 Edit one or more of the following fields in the Routing area e Pin Channel Cost Factor A high pin channel cost factor results in infrequent use of pin channels the regions between adjacent part pins A low value allows frequent use of pin channels e Packing Cost Factor A high packing cost factor instructs the router to bundle circuit traces wherever possible A low factor results in a wider distribution of circuit traces across the board e Dynamic Density Cost Factor Controls the global distribution of traces A high dynamic density cost factor explicitly tries to create an even or wide distribution of traces across the board rather than letting the other costs determine how traces should be placed A low factor lets trace distribution be determined by routing cost 4 Edit one or both of the following fie
294. ts tab Or Right click on the desired element and select Go to from the pop up menu that appears The element is selected and shown in the workspace To clear the information in the Results tab right click anywhere in the Results tab and select Clear Results from the pop up menu that appears Options for Viewing the Design Your view of the design can be manipulated a number of ways to make things easier to see while editing as well as to see what the finished design will look like Using the Full Screen When you open Ultiboard for the first time the program displays the workspace with the menu and toolbars the Birds Eye View and the Design Toolbox To get a better view of the workspace you can either use the zoom functions to magnify it or have the workspace take up the full screen Refer to the Magnifying and Shrinking the View section for more information about the zoom functions When you display a design on the full screen everything except the design disappears depending on your settings in the Preferences dialog box scrollbars may or may not appear Menu functions can still be used through their keyboard shortcuts for example you can use lt F8 gt to zoom in and lt F9 gt to zoom out Again depending on the Preferences dialog box settings you may be able to pan through the design by moving your cursor over the outside edges To switch the workspace to a full screen display choose View Full Screen
295. ts are not supported for copper attributes on the PCB Set the Height and Rotation of the attribute when visible Your choices are reflected in the preview area Choose the color of the attribute when visible on a specific layer Choose the layer from the Layer drop down list the color by clicking Color 3 Click OK to save your changes National Instruments Corporation 4 17 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 4 Working with Parts To delete an attribute select it in the Attributes tab and click Remove Viewing and Editing Part Properties Complete the following steps to view and edit the properties of a part 1 Select the part 2 Choose Edit Properties The part s Part Properties dialog box B appears consisting of four tabs Attributes Position 3D Data and a Part The Position tab is the default and appears when you choose Edit Properties It displays the coordinates of the selected part e X The x axis coordinate e Y tThe y axis coordinate e Angle degrees The angle of the part s placement e Board side The side of the board on which the part is placed The 3D Data tab allows you to control the properties of the 3D image of the selected part Any changes to the 3D properties are reflected in the Preview area The Enable 3D for this object checkbox must be selected for the part to appear in the 3D view Q Tip Enable the Automatic preview update checkbox to have the preview update as changes ar
296. ts on the board mostly on SMDs Information These are virtual layers which provide useful design information but are not part of the physical board itself e Mechanical layers These are the layers to be used for documentation for example showing dimensions or other mechanical CAD related properties You can also set up projects and files that contain CAD information Refer to Chapter 10 Using Mechanical CAD for more information The layer highlighted in red is the active layer The one which any functions you choose will affect Before you can work on a particular layer you must ensure that layer is active Depending on what layer is active your available commands and toolbars may change Tip Ultiboard presents only those functions that are appropriate for the current layer For example if you are on a Paste Mask layer you cannot use the Place menu to place a copper area To make a layer the active layer double click on the name of the layer in the Design Toolbox You can also change the visibility of layers by making them visible dimmed or hidden To dim a layer in the workspace making it easier to see the elements on other layers click the layer s check box The check box turns gray and the elements of that layer dim To hide a layer in the workspace click the layer s check box twice The check mark disappears and the elements on that layer are hidden Note While this action removes the eleme
297. ts within acceptable limits It is strongly recommended that you do not modify these routing strategies unless you achieve poorer routing results than you expect When changing cost factors even slight adjustments can have large effects on routing success either improving or worsening the results Optimization The optimizer is usually applied after the autorouter achieves 100 completion It eliminates unnecessary vias and smooths wire bends to reduce manufacturing costs It also routes any remaining open connections You can prevent Ultiboard from calling the optimizer by unchecking Optimization Pass in the General tab of the Routing Options dialog box 7 6 ni com Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement The optimizer can also be run separately by selecting Autoroute Start Optimization This also optimizes user placed traces and vias provided that Trace can be Moved is selected in the General tab of the trace s properties dialog box For vias Via can be Moved must be selected in the Via tab of the Via Properties dialog box Routing Selected Parts and Nets Complete the following to place traces on a selection of parts 1 Select the desired parts and select Autoroute Autoroute Selected Parts Complete the following to route selected nets 1 Select the desired nets and select Autoroute Autoroute Selected Nets 3 Note You can also pre place traces and vias before running the autorouter Refer to the Placing Traces section
298. ttings dialog box allows you to select the layers to be exported and the units of measurement to be used e Available layers list Select the layers to export in this list and click the gt button to move them to the Layers to process list e File Units box Choose the units of measurement Setting NC Drill Properties The Drill export properties dialog box allows you to specify measurement units and to specify the number of digits for integers and decimals Complete the following steps to change the NC drill properties 1 Select NC Drill in the Export dialog box and click properties The Drill export properties dialog box appears 2 Inthe Units box select either the Imperial or Metric radio button 3 Enter the following in the Digits box as required e Integer The number of integers to the left of the decimal point e Decimal tThe number of decimal places 8 12 ni com Chapter 8 Preparing for Manufacturing Assembly This option aids the export of NC drill files for objects such as rectangle and squares which have no radius 4 Click OK to accept the changes i Note When a pad is used with an Advanced Hole and only when a square or rectangle shape is used export to NC Drill calculates the edge of the hole minus the radius of the minimum tool size for the slot drill Refer to the Viewing and Editing Through Hole Pin Properties section for more information Working with SVG Properties The SVG Export Properties dia
299. tton Cuts the selected element from the design and places it on the Windows Clipboard Copy button Copies the selected element from the design and places it on the Windows Clipboard Paste button Pastes the element from the Windows Clipboard to the design Undo button Undoes the last action 2S 2 e Se ee Redo button Redoes the last action used after undoing 1 2 ni com View Toolbar Chapter 1 User Interface The View toolbar contains buttons for modifying the way the screen is displayed and appears by default when you run Ultiboard The View toolbar buttons are explained in the table below Button Description Redraw the Screen button Redraws the currently active design workspace Refer to the Refreshing the Design section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information D Toggle Full Screen button Adjusts the size of the workspace so it displays the entire design Refer to the Using the Full Screen section of of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information Zoom In button Zooms in on the design providing a closer view Refer to the Magnifying and Shrinking the View section of Chapter 2 Beginning a Design for more information Zoom Out button Zooms out on the design providing a broader view Zoom Window button Magnifies a selected part of the design Refer to the Magnifying and Shrinking the View section of Chapter 2 Beginning
300. ugh Board Via From Top Buildup 2 to Bottom Buildup 2 Pads Vias Tab In the Allow Routing area from the Copper Layer drop down list select the copper layer for which you wish to assign routing properties and click Properties to display the Copper Layer Properties dialog box Enable the Routable checkbox to allow routing on the selected layer In the Trace Bias drop down list select one of Horizontal Vertical or None Click OK to close the Copper Layer Properties dialog box In the Board area enter the desired Board Outline Clearance and Board Thickness Click OK to close the dialog box Use the Pads Vias tab of the PCB Properties dialog box to set the following NI Ultiboard User Manual Through Hole Pad Annular Ring Vias Microvias Maximum Vias Per Net Surface Mount Pads Oversize 1 24 ni com Chapter 1 User Interface Through Hole Pad Annular Ring Footprints in the database have been designed with pad sizes in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations To change these settings you can edit the footprint in the database or directly on the design using the In place Part Edit command Alternatively you can apply a set of design rules to specific footprints or to the entire design The annular ring setting the ring of copper around the drill hole of a pad or via allows you to specify either a fixed value for example 50 mils or a relative value that depends on the radius of the drill hole siz
301. ultiple items in the list The Add button becomes active 9 Click Add The selected nets move to the Assigned Nets column Or If desired click Add All to move all of the Available Nets to the Assigned Nets list National Instruments Corporation 3 13 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design B Note You cannot assign a net to more than one net group Therefore nets that are already assigned to another net group do not appear in the Available Nets list However you can assign a net to a bus group and a net group 10 Click OK to close the Edit Groups dialog box If you do not wish to close the dialog box click Apply to accept the changes Complete the following steps to add pre selected nets to a net group 1 2 3 4 5 Select the desired nets on the workspace Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box Click the Net Groups tab Select the desired net group in the Groups box Click Add Pre selected The nets that you pre selected on the workspace are added to the Assigned Nets column Click OK to close the Edit Groups dialog box If you do not wish to close the dialog box click Apply to accept the changes Complete the following steps to edit a net group 1 pr 3 4 Select Tools Group Editor to display the Edit Groups dialog box Select the Net Groups tab Highlight the desired group in the Groups list Do any of the following as required e Add nets to the gr
302. ument or the information contained in it EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED HEREIN NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE CUSTOMER S RIGHT TO RECOVER DAMAGES CAUSED BY FAULT OR NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT THERETOFORE PAID BY THE CUSTOMER NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM LOSS OF DATA PROFITS USE OF PRODUCTS OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF This limitation of the liability of National Instruments will apply regardless of the form of action whether in contract or tort including negligence Any action against National Instruments must be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues National Instruments shall not be liable for any delay in performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control The warranty provided herein does not cover damages defects malfunctions or service failures caused by owner s failure to follow the National Instruments installation operation or maintenance instructions owner s modification of the product owner s abuse misuse or negligent acts and power failure or surges fire flood accident actions of third parties or other events outside reasonable control Copyright Under the copyright laws this publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form
303. ups tab 3 12 Part Groups tab 3 15 Edit menu A 3 Edit toolbar 1 8 editing net widths 5 26 elements searching for 2 14 selecting 2 12 unselecting 2 12 ellipses placing 4 22 Enter coordinate dialog 3 9 equi space traces 5 9 examples NI resources C 1 export properties 8 11 settings 8 11 F Fanout Options dialog 5 18 fiducial marks 1 17 file export properties 8 11 export settings 8 11 exporting 8 15 exporting about 8 10 locations 1 16 File menu A 1 National Instruments Corporation l 3 Index files closing 2 11 opening 2 4 2 5 removing design from 2 4 renaming 2 4 saving 2 11 Filter Manager 1 33 Find tab 1 34 follow me trace about 5 3 placing 5 3 force vectors about 4 6 full autorouter about 7 7 running 7 7 full screen view 2 15 G Gerber export properties 8 12 Gerber Viewer 2 5 supported parameters 2 9 Gerber D import dialog 2 5 grid visible 1 22 guides moving 4 10 placing 4 10 removing 4 10 using 4 10 H help technical support C 1 highlighting in Multisim 4 36 I initial routing 7 6 in place edit using 4 30 instrument drivers NI resources C 1 interface elements 1 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Index J jumper properties 4 24 jumpers default pin diameters 1 17 placing 4 24 K Keep in Keep out areas placing 5 7 properties 5 7 KnowledgeBase C 1 L lamination settings 3 1 layers adding to board 1 26
304. w 3 Note If you chose User Defined Zo in the previous step the Per Length Unit and the Differential Impedance are the only values that appear in the Calculation Results area of the PCB Differential Impedance Calculator dialog and the Results tab when you click Calculate 5 Click Close to close the PCB Differential Impedance Calculator National Instruments Corporation 6 11 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 6 PCB Calculators Centered Stripline Differential Impedance Equations The equations used to perform the centered stripline differential impedance calculations are ZO 60 In 4 2 H T 0 67 3 1415926 0 8 W T sqrt Er Tpd 84 66667 sqrt Er CO Tpd Z0 LO C0 Z0 Z0 Zdiff 2 Z0 1 0 347 exp 2 9 S 2 H T Asymmetric Stripline Calculations Complete the following steps to perform asymmetric stripline differential impedance calculations NI Ultiboard User Manual 1 Select Tools PCB Differential Impedance Calculator 2 Select Asymmetric Stripline in the Type drop down list 3 Inthe Input Data area edit the following fields as desired Or Input Length Unit Select mils or millimeters Dielectric Height H1 Refer to the figure below Dielectric Height H Refer to the figure below Trace Thickness T Refer to the figure below Trace Width W Refer to the figure below Trace Spacing S Refer to the figure below Relative Permittivity epsilon r Refer to the figure below
305. w area changes accordingly e Pin Type box Choose Through Hole Technology or Surface Mount Technology 3 Click Start National Instruments Corporation 7 9 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 7 Autorouting and Autoplacement 4 The Automatic Testpoint Placement Setup dialog box disappears and one test point is placed on or near each net on your board If placed near an existing net the test point will be automatically connected 5 Results of testpoint placements including a list of any nets which the router could not connect will appear in the Results tab of the Spreadsheet View You can click on an error to go to the unrouted testpoint Controlling the Routing Functions Router functions are controlled through the Routing Options dialog box which is displayed when you choose Autoroute Autoroute place Options Routing Options General Tab Complete the following steps to set up general routing options 1 Select the General tab in the Routing Options dialog box 2 Complete the following fields in the Routing area Routing Mode Select Gridbased to place the traces on a grid Gridless to place them off the grid or Progressive which will attempt to place the traces on a grid and then place those that remain off the grid e Grid Type Select English the router grid will be some sensible number of mils 10 mils 20 mils etc or Metric the router grid will be some sensible number of millimeters 0 2 mm 0
306. width that is too big DRC errors appear the trace width will not change Placing a Trace Connection Machine Method The Connection Machine is the simplest and fastest way to connect two pads but it cannot be used to connect more than two pads at a time Complete the following steps to place a Connection Machine trace with default routing 1 2 3 4 Choose a copper layer Choose Place Connection Machine Click a segment of a ratsnest on the board The two pads connected by the segment of the ratsnest are connected with a trace that has been routed around obstacles Press lt Esc gt twice to end trace placement Complete the following steps to place a Connection Machine trace with custom routing 1 2 3 NI Ultiboard User Manual Choose a copper layer Choose Place Connection Machine Click a segment of a ratsnest on the board The two pads connected by the segment of the ratsnest are connected with a trace that has been routed around obstacles Drag the trace segment to change the default routing around obstacles The middle of the trace will move although the trace remains anchored to the two specified pads Click to lock the moved trace segment in place Press lt Esc gt twice to end trace placement 5 4 ni com Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper Tip Use lt Ctr1 Shift w N gt to widen narrow the trace You can also change the trace width during routing by typing the desired v
307. with information for Keep in or Keep out areas Column Description Name Name of the Keep in or Keep out Can be entered here or in the Keep in Keep out Properties dialog box Refer to the Working with Keep in Keep out Areas section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Type Indicates whether the area is a Keep in or a Keep out Can be set here or in the Keep in Keep out Properties dialog box Refer to the Working with Keep in Keep out Areas section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Locked Yes means that the Keep in out area cannot be moved or edited No means that the Keep in out area can be moved Layers To Apply Double click to display the Layers To Apply dialog box where you select the layers to which you wish to apply the Keep in out You can also set this in the Keep in Keep out Properties dialog box Refer to the Working with Keep in Keep out Areas section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information Net Group Double click to display the Select Groups dialog box where you select the net group to which you wish to apply the Keep in out You can also set this in the Keep in Keep out Properties dialog box Refer to the Working with Keep in Keep out Areas section of Chapter 5 Working with Traces and Copper for more information NI Ultiboard User Manual 1 46 ni com Chapter 1 User I
308. with normal feed through vias When setting the number of copper layers you also select the lamination settings that will be used when the board is manufactured This is important as these settings are used by Ultiboard s internal design rule engine when placing blind and buried vias or micro vias National Instruments Corporation 3 1 NI Ultiboard User Manual Chapter 3 Setting Up a Design NI Ultiboard User Manual There are two methods of fabricating a PC board both methods can be used in combination e The first method uses layered pairs of copper on a substrate usually cured fiberglass resin that have been etched and are then laminated together with a partially cured fiberglass resin substrate prepreg Heat and mechanical pressure are used to activate the prepreg and bond layered pairs with other layered pairs e The other method typically uses a layered pair as a core to which single layers of copper foil are added to build up the board Prepreg is also used to bond the layers Build up layers are usually added in equal numbers to the top and bottom of the core to prevent warping of the final product A via is a plated through hole in a printed circuit board used to connect two or more layers as well as the top and bottom surfaces of the board e Blind via Any via that connects the top or bottom layer of a board to one of the internal layers e Buried via Any via that connects internal layers e Normal through hol

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